


Wrath

by Gandalfgirl579



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 28 Days Later AU, 28 Weeks Later AU, ALL THE ANGST, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Anal Sex, And More Angst, Angst, Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Armageddon, Biting, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Character Death, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Doomsday AU, Drug Dealing, Drug Use, Dry Humping, End of Days, End of the World, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Frottage, Gore, Graphic Violence, Grinding, Horror, Horror AU, Lesbian Sex, M/M, Oral Sex, Post-Apocalypse, Recreational Drug Use, Rimming, SCIFI AU, Scissoring, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Tragic Romance, Tribadism, Tribbing, Violence, Yuri, alcohol use, eruri - Freeform, science fiction AU, yumikuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-21 20:37:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 72,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2481587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gandalfgirl579/pseuds/Gandalfgirl579
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Don't look at me like that." Levi's eyes were dark, pupils blown wide with something that wasn't quite lust, and Erwin did his best to ignore it, though it was no easy task. His voice was strained when he added, "You look like you want to eat me."</p><p>Levi's voice was soft when his reply came, smoky and deep and far too tempting: "I do."</p><p>Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past. Now including bonus chapters!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cabin Fever

"Are you sure you can handle that much at once?"

Levi rolled his eyes, tightening the elastic band twisted around his arm. As much as he appreciated the other's concern, appreciated being the center of someone else's entire world, it got annoying after a while, especially when it came to the things neither of them could change. "What choice do I have?" was all the defense he could muster. There was no good answer to that question, and they both knew it. 

"You could die," Erwin said, his voice heavy with apprehension and what sounded like genuine fear. He was kneeling between the other's spread legs, fiddling with that all-too-familiar syringe. It made him nervous when Levi injected it himself, even with a normal amount. But this… This was far too much, he was sure of it. "Shooting up this much in one sitting..."

Though it was half meant as sarcastic, Levi shrugged his shoulders, saying, "At least I wouldn't be infected anymore."

In an instant, those too-blue eyes darted up, capturing tired, world-weary gunmetal and all but begging, "Levi..."

"I'm not suicidal, Erwin." It was mostly true, and they both knew it. Erwin was too perceptive a man to be so easily mislead: His reaction had been one of pure instinct, responding to the melancholic tone of the other's voice. "It's just that being infected sucks."

"I'm sorry," was all the elder could think to say. Truly, he was sorry. More than anything, he was sorry. 

"Don't be." The last thing Levi wanted was pity, least of all from Erwin. "At least I'm not getting old. Only good thing about the virus. That and the quick healing. That's always good."

"You don't like the strength?" Erwin asked, one thick eyebrow lifted in confusion. 

"Not really," the younger confessed, watching as the other prepared a well-used syringe filled with double the usual dosage of syrupy amber liquid. "I always worry I'm gonna hurt you."

"Levi--" Erwin's voice was unwavering, strong-- "I know you would never hurt me." 

Those words were incredibly resolute, but...

"I wouldn't hurt you on purpose," Levi allowed, sliding his fingers into golden hair, giving a slight shiver when Erwin's eyes met his once more, sun-warmed summer sky clashing with heavy, violet-tinged storm clouds. "I can't say it won't happen by accident one day. I won't always be me, Erwin. Not with Titan in my system."

"I know that." Those words were white-hot, burning on Erwin's tongue, yet he had no real desire nor motive to speak them. But, sad thought it was, it was a fact. There was no denying the fact that even someone as strong as Levi would eventually lose himself to the rage that was the Titan virus. Erwin spoke to himself then, convincing himself that somehow, despite the odds, Levi would be all right: "I know that."

"Then give me the shot already."

Still clearly reluctant, Erwin sighed, bringing the needle up to rest against the sickly-pale, scar-dotted skin at the inside curve of the other's elbow. They were the only scars that had accumulated in the past eleven years, since Levi had first become a victim of the infection. It had been so long, and yet so little in Levi's body had changed... It was his mind that Erwin worried for. 

Was this Levi even same man who had taken ill all those years ago? 

It was difficult to be sure. 

The drug, though, changed him, too. "You aren't yourself with Shift in your system, either, you know," was all Erwin had to say. It was true.

When Levi gave no verbal reply, the syringe was pressed in, and he gave a soft hiss in response.

"Survive the night for me, Levi," Erwin said, his voice soft, eyes dark and desperate, thumbing away the drop of blood that welled up when the needle was pulled from pale skin. "Please. That's all I ask."

"I'll do what I can."

What more could he ask for? 

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." 

Erwin nodded and, without further ado, undid the elastic around Levi's arm, quickly untangling spidery fingers from his hair and climbing to his feet. He would only stay a few seconds-- Just long enough to make sure Levi didn't pass out when the drug impacted his heart. That was all. 

His silence was unnerving.

"...Levi?"

"Shouldn't you be leaving?" Levi's voice was already husky and deep, and a smirk came over his face, half-mad and half-irresistible, when Erwin took a cautious step backwards. 

He wasn't passing out, that much was good. But for the Shift-induced lust to take hold of him so quickly... 

"Well?" It sounded almost like a tease.

Erwin took it as his cue to finally back his way out of the room, careful to bolt the door behind him. 

Seeing Levi like that... It did something for him. There was no denying it. Levi was usually so cold, so reserved, for him to let loose what he really felt was something to be cherished, even if it was just the Shift bringing it to the surface. 

But Erwin couldn't cherish it at all. 

Quite the opposite, in fact: It was torture. 

He and Levi could never have each other. Not really. 

Physical contact between them was extremely limited, considering how incredibly contagious the virus was, and legally, their relationship was restricted. 

Erwin was his handler. Physical bonds between those infected by Titan and those who remained human were strictly forbidden, particularly when the handler title had been bestowed upon the uninfected party. It was one of the few laws that the government still bothered with enforcing.

Everything had gone down the drain.

In the years since the virus had broken out--

"Do you really have to lock me in here every time?"

Erwin sighed, "You know I do." It was true.

"Yeah, but why?" Levi asked. There was an odd, giggly edge to his voice. It was disturbing, really, coming from someone like him. "Why not just let me shift you over?"

"You know we--" 

"It'd be a lot easier, dontcha think?" Erwin knew exactly where this was going-- The same place it always went. "We could actually be together that way."

It would be a lie for Erwin to say that he hadn't considered it. 

They would both be ageless and strong and... And deadly. He could control himself, he was sure, but if he became a Titan as well, their mockery of a relationship would degenerate into something purely physical, and Erwin didn't want that. It was Levi's heart he wanted, not his body, though it would be heavenly to have both at once. That, however, was impossible without getting Levi treated, without removing all traces of the virus from his system. Two Titans could not hold an emotional bond, even when one had been formed pre-infection. One Doctor Grisha Jaeger, the top authority on Titan, had said so himself. 

It just wasn't possible to hold onto the rage and an emotional link at the same time. 

Eventually, the rage would consume everything. 

That was what Erwin was most afraid of. 

"When we get you treated," he finally said, his voice once again taking on that absolute, unshakeable conviction, "we can be together. It should be within a few years, if we keep getting jobs."

"What makes you think I even WANNA get treated?"

Erwin had considered that, too. "You've said so yourself."

"Maybe I just said it for your sake," Levi said, his voice muffled through the door. "We both know I'm all you ever think about."

"It's true," Erwin conceded, shrugging his shoulders. There was no point in denying the truth.

He could practically hear Levi's smirk: "I'm your whole world."

"My whole universe."

"It's kinda pathetic." The smirk was still there. "Gotta say I kinda like it, though. Everyone else thinks you're some big, tough, lion-hearted soldier boy, but you're really just a kitten lookin' for a li'l love."

That brought a smile to Erwin's face, and a soft huff of laughter bubbling past his lips. Levi had always been able to see through his masks. 

For a few blissful moments, the room fell silent, though worry quickly overtook Erwin's mind, and he managed to ask, his voice shaky, "Are you all right in there?"

"Just bored," came the other's voice, something warm and dark creeping into it and sending a shiver up Erwin's spine. "You should come in. I'd love to play with you."

"That isn't going to happen." It was tempting, of course, but Erwin would hold himself back. He always did. 

"Lemme out, Erwin." Levi's voice was husky, that lustful, irresistible purr that only the drug brought out of him. "Please?"

To that, Erwin gave no response, his back to the wood of the door, doing his best to ignore the pleading coming from the other side. They had been doing this for years, but it never got easier.

"C'mon, y'know you want to." He really did, and the lilt in Levi's voice made it clear that they both knew it. "Lemme out."

"You know I can't do that."

There was a pause before Levi asked, his voice soft and just the slightest bit hurt: "Don't you trust me, Erwin?"

"Not when you're like this." 

Shift had a strange effect on those infected by the Titan virus: It temporarily blocked out the gnawing hunger for human flesh, but it brought out something desperately sexual. 

There was a massive number of naïve teenagers who would jump at the chance to have sex with one of the infected. Titans were, after all, alluring: Strong and ageless and beautiful... As long as you stayed on their good side. To anger a Titan made for certain death. Still, the ignorant flocked to them during the first few years, before the quarantine, seeking to involve themselves with these deadly new creatures in any way they could. The problem lay in the fact that the virus that had devastated the world was transmitted through bodily fluids, and to give oneself over to someone who had been infected meant sure transmission. 

Naturally, Titan had taken the world by storm.

Erwin wasn't about to get himself infected. The outbreak had begun eleven years ago, and even as a soldier, he'd managed to remain clean of the virus. He had to. If he became infected, who would take care of Levi? There was no one else they could trust. 

"You're kinda boring, y'know that?"

Wry though it was, that brought a soft chuckle up past Erwin's lips. "You may have mentioned that once or twice," he conceded. 

"Can't even get you to jerk me off?" came that smoke-ravaged growl of a voice, and Erwin rolled his eyes. "I'd love having your hands on me about now..."

"I know you don't mean any of this, Levi."

"Don't be stupid. Of course I mean it." He sounded strangely present, despite the Shift roiling its way through his system. "Really sucks that I can't even kiss you. We've been together for OVER A DECADE, Erwin, and I CAN'T KISS YOU. It fucking sucks."

"I know it does," Erwin said, meaning every word. He felt the same way. "But we're halfway there. We've saved up so much already... We'll get you treated, and then we'll be able to do what we want."

"Will we finally be able to get married?"

The hope in the younger man's voice sent a bolt of sorrow straight through Erwin's heart. "Well, I won't be your handler anymore, so I see no reason why not."

"Marry me, Erwin." He sounded so genuine... "When this is over, marry me."

A dejected sigh forced itself past Erwin's lips at that: Levi wouldn't even remember asking once he came down.


	2. Longing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Levi." There was a strange mixture of hesitance and caution and poorly concealed lust in Erwin's voice, his hands coming to rest at the other's hips, firmly holding him back, holding him still. It was a warning. "You know we can't--"
> 
> "Just lemme hold you for a while." Levi, for his part, was strangely soft, curling against the other's chest like some sort of spoiled, overgrown housecat, arms looping around broad shoulders, his hands sliding up into golden locks. 
> 
> "We can't--"
> 
> "We can do that much, can't we? Just holding each other?" 
> 
> "Honestly, it's probably best if we don't. It's forbidden, you know."
> 
> "Maybe that's why I want it so much."
> 
> ...
> 
> The drug warning remains tagged on for this chapter, but other than that, I'd say it's a pretty safe one...
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall

"Did you not sleep at all last night?" There was worry in Levi's voice, one brow arched in curiosity and concern as he stared down at where Erwin was crumpled into the chair before the fireplace. Those cerulean eyes were lined in shadow, his posture stooped, fatigue radiating off him in thick, icy waves. "You look like hell."

"I was worried," was all the older man had to say for himself, unable to muster up even the wryest of smiles. He was exhausted through and through, clear down to the bone. Mentally, physically… He was at his limit. Listening to Levi's all-too-effective bedroom voice for so long, and barely managing to resist it had taken a toll on him. He needed as cold a shower as he could possibly get. It was no small wonder that he hadn't just given in. Oh, but he couldn't do that. Levi had fought so hard to keep him from getting infected... But it was getting to him. Titan was eroding Levi's sense of self, and Erwin felt himself being swept along for the ride. "I was worried," he said again, hoping that this time his gruff, sleepless voice was loud enough to be heard.

"You're always worried about something or other, aren't you?" There was no bite in Levi's voice, just the certainty of a man stating an absolute fact.

"Generally, yes." It was true, and they both knew it. Why bother denying it?

"Makes sense, I guess..."

"You have more to worry about than I do, you know." 

"I just hide it better."

"You don't need to hide it, Levi." 

"Mm." That sound was nothing more than a soft purr, and Levi was fully aware of the way Erwin jerked beneath him when he straddled his lap, his bloodshot, too-blue eyes going wide as they met with molten silver.

"Levi..." 

"Hmm?"

Firmer this time: "Levi." There was a strange mixture of hesitance and caution and poorly concealed lust in Erwin's voice, his hands coming to rest at the other's hips, firmly holding him back, holding him still. It was a warning. "You know we can't--"

"Just lemme hold you for a while." Levi, for his part, was strangely soft, curling against the other's chest like some sort of spoiled, overgrown housecat, arms looping around broad shoulders, his hands sliding up into golden locks. 

"We can't--"

"We can do that much, can't we? Just holding each other?" 

"Honestly, it's probably best if we--"

"Oh, shut up, Erwin!" It came on a bout of sardonic laughter, and the blonde felt a smile creep across his face. 

Another soft purr bubbled up past Levi's throat at that, and he leaned closer again, nuzzling his cheek against a strong jaw. His brow soon crinkled though, and he jerked away, flashing a dirty look at Erwin's jawline.

"What's that look for?" 

Levi looked as though his face had personally offended him. He looked outright disgusted, to be honest, and strangely enough, it was almost adorable.

"How did you get all stubbly so quick?"

Those words chased the smile from Erwin's face, and his own words were heavy and grim: "You were up for three days, Levi."

"Oh?" Levi had pulled away a bit, though his fingers refused to untangle themselves from the blonde strands. There was comfort in that softness, and at the moment, he needed that comfort. 

"I shouldn't have let you take so much at once." How very like Erwin to play the martyr.

"Erwin--"

Those blue eyes rolled in irritation, and Erwin said, his voice suddenly going stony, "You know how dangerous--"

"Of course I do," was Levi's argument, and there was such a sense of finality in his voice that Erwin at long last decided to stop fighting. There was something in Levi's eyes, too… He wasn't hiding. "It's getting stronger, Erwin."

Erwin felt his eyes god wide at that. Sure, he had figured it would happen eventually, but the cold reality of it… He wasn't sure how to face it. 

"It's getting harder and harder for me to resist," Levi said, his eyes cold. "Every goddamn day, it gets harder."

"That's why you doubled the dose?" It wasn't really a question. Erwin already knew the answer. 

To that, Levi merely nodded, snuggling closer in his shamed silence.

"I'm sorry, Levi."

Again, the little brunette pulled back, meeting calm blue sky with lightning-tinged storm clouds. "For what?" It almost sounded like a demand.

"It was my fault you were infected."

As quickly as he had pulled back, Levi was close again, murmuring into the fabric of the other's shirt. "Don't be stupid." His voice was somewhat muffled. "I followed you into the Wall. I wanted to keep you from getting infected."

"And you did," Erwin agreed, his hands sliding up the smaller man's back, holding him close. Levi was always so warm... So cold, but so very, very warm. It was a Titan thing. The rage made them run far hotter than a human would. "But at what cost?"

Levi's reply was too muffled by his shirt for Erwin to make out the words. 

"I should have forbidden you to follow me."

"Erwin." It came out as a scoff. "You can't possibly be dumb enough to think that that woulda actually worked." There was something gentle, almost affectionate in the way Levi was speaking now, his voice still slightly stifled as he nosed against Erwin's sternum, reveling in the other's responding shivers. "Think about it: What happens any time to try to forbid me from doing something?"

Erwin didn't even have to think about it. "You do it anyway."

"Exactly." Levi was the very picture of smugness, smirking up at Erwin with that lazy arrogance in his eyes. "There was nothing you coulda done to stop me."

"I could've handed you over to the police," Erwin countered, shrugging his shoulders, though he did so carefully, doing his best not to frighten away the beast still curled into his chest. 

"Oh, please. You never woulda--"

"I could've told them that you were human and had no business inside the Wall."

"Then I'd've beat the shit outta them and you'd never have seen me again." A victorious smirk crawled its way over Levi's face, and Erwin shuddered. There was something wild, something animalistic in that grin. As much as he detested what Levi had become, he loved seeing Levi so utterly ALIVE. "And I know you wouldn't want that."

"No, I wouldn't." 

"Besides," Levi said, his voice suddenly going soft and strangely melancholic, "I'd rather it be me than you that got infected."

"I'd rather it have been neither of us," Erwin said. Then, more quietly, and with a surprising amount of honesty lingering in his voice, he added, "I wouldn't wish Titan on my worst enemy."

"Funny this is, all your enemies already have it." There was no humor in Levi's voice.

"I suppose they do."

"If you don't count the other bounty hunters, that is." Levi sounded a bit amused by that notion. "Can you imagine Shadis with Titan?"

"I'd rather not think about that..."

"It's get him outta our hair, at least."

"I wouldn't mind that, actually..." 

And then Levi's smile was gone. "But I wouldn't wish it on anyone, either."

To that, Erwin only smiled.

A silence fell then, filled only by their soft breathing and the crackling of wood burning in the fireplace, the singing of the crickets and cicadas and night birds just outside the walls of the cabin. There was no wind. On nights like this, they could even hear the splashing roll of the little stream at the foot of the hill the cabin was seated upon. It was so calm…

It was the calm before the storm, Erwin was sure of it. 

It was Levi's voice, of course, that broke that too-calm silence, his tobacco-growl of a voice hanging in the air when he asked, "Do you know how hard it is, Erwin?"

"What's that?" Truth be told, Erwin was barely conscious. He hadn't slept since Levi had gone under, and even a soldier grew weary after so long. The warmth of the man he loved was seeping into him, into his chest and his shoulders and his neck, the world slowly dissolving away all around him. He was hardly present at all.

"Do you know how hard it is, Erwin, to look at you and want to LITERALLY eat you?" Levi sounded almost forlorn, heartbroken in a way, his voice weak and soft, the usual gravel stomped flat under the immense pressure on his shoulders. "You, of all people."

"I'm sorry," was all the other could think to say, his mind heavy and hazy with sleep. 

A nuzzle to his neck brought consciousness screaming back, warm, chapped lips playing softly along his pulse, his throat. 

The little beast in his lap was hungry.

"Do you know how good you smell?"

A series of warning-bells chimed alongside the rasp in that voice, and Erwin tightened his grip on Levi's hips, doing his best to hold the other still against him.

Levi, of course, was having none of that, gripping Erwin's shoulders and pressing his hips insistently against the blonde's, his eyes heavy-lidded and dark, his breath coming in soft pants. "Oh, c'mon, Erwin..."

The desperation in that smoky voice sent a cavalcade of shivers racing down Erwin's spine, and he could offer no verbal response.

His eyes were always a giveaway, though, and there was nothing he could do about that. At the moment, that was a blessing. 

Giving a heavy sigh, seemingly defeated, Levi pulled back again, leaning back to rest his hands at the other's knees, though his eyes were still dark, that lovely flush still painting his cheeks and neck and shoulders a beautiful, dusty shade of rose. "We can't, can we?"

"It would be exceedingly ill-advised, I think," Erwin agreed.

Levi gave an amused snort then, rolling his eyes and saying, "You can't talk to a street rat that way, Erwin. I don't understand big words."

It was Erwin's turn to laugh, heavy-hearted though it was. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know."

Erwin was the one to close the distance between them then, his arms winding tight about a slim waist, brushing their noses together, foreheads touching, eyes locked. This was as close as they were allowed to get. "You know I love you, don't you?"

An echo came, though it was far more sincere this time around: "Yeah, I know." Levi gave another sigh then, heavy and shuddering. "It kinda sucks, really." He was in mourning. He had been since the infection had taken hold of him, in mourning for the life and the love he could never have. "We can never have each other, Erwin. Not really. We can pretend, but it's not the same."

He knew that every word was true, but Erwin couldn't help but feel that an objection was necessary. "We have each other, Levi. Maybe not physically, but--"

"Oh, shut up." 

Jesus, he sounded so broken...

"Levi..."

"I don't want your pity, Erwin." When their eyes met again, Levi's eyes were frigid, hard and determined. They were silver bullets, felling every obstacle in their path. "I wanna get the virus outta my system." He nodded to himself, glancing over to the leather datebook that sat upon the rough wooden table off to the left of the fireplace. "We need another job." Then sighing, he reluctantly admitted, "And we need more Shift, if I'm gonna be able to hold myself long enough to get that job done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so little bits of truth are revealed. I'm hoping to only give information on a piecemeal basis, but I;m not good at that sorta thing, so I'm probly gonna end up just blurting everything out at some point...
> 
> Anyway, the response for this fic has been hugely unprecedented, and I am so very grateful! I adore you all! <3
> 
> Next chapter: A job hunt
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	3. Concern

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin hated the leash and harness and muzzle as much as Levi did. 
> 
> Levi was not an animal. He was a human being. To treat him like this was-- 
> 
> No, that wasn't right. Levi WASN'T human. He was a Titan. He was still in control of himself, but he was a Titan nonetheless. He was nothing more than monster with exceptional self-control.
> 
> ...
> 
> There's no need for trigger warnings on this chapter, I think, save the brief mention of a certain fictional drug... But there is the introduction of another character, namely Levi's Shift dealer, and a new place, the Depot, a shady underworld market. So there's at least something going on. Noticably less angst, though. New places to go and new people to see...
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall

"I hate this thing."

"I know you do," Erwin replied, his voice soft and sympathetic, "but we don't have a choice."

Levi's eyes were shards of silvery ice: "I don't want to wear it, Erwin."

Frustrated, Erwin sighed. He understood, really, but… "You have to wear the muzzle, Levi," he reasoned, his tone unwavering, that of a parent scolding an unruly child. "It's against the law for you to be out in public without one."

"I know that." It was Levi's turn to sigh, rolling his eyes off to the side. It wasn't Erwin's fault that he had to wear the damned thing, and he didn't deserve to have that frustration taken out on him, but the Titan-rage was getting harder to fight by the day. It was all Levi could do to keep himself held back. "Doesn't make it suck any less." 

"I know."

To that, Levi said nothing. 

With what had to be the millionth argument about it finished, Erwin slid the mouthpiece of the muzzle over Levi's face, doing up the buckle at the back of his head, careful of his hair. The undercut made it easier, that was for sure, and Erwin stroked his fingers over close-cropped locks, sympathetic cerulean locking for an instant with angry, apologetic gray, and Levi nodded his hesitant consent. The collar of the harness was strapped around his neck next, looping beneath his arms, crossing across his chest and the small of his back, linking through the belt-loops of his jeans. The thick strip of leather that acted as his leash was soon clipped onto the D-ring at his throat, and he cast his gaze aside, irritated.

Of course, Erwin hated the leash and harness and muzzle as much as Levi did. 

Levi was not an animal. He was a human being. To treat him like this was-- 

No, that wasn't right. Levi WASN'T human. He was a Titan. He was still in control of himself, but he was a Titan nonetheless. He was nothing more than monster with exceptional self-control.

Some people kept Titans as pets or bodyguards, but Levi was so much more than that. He was Erwin's partner, his lover, his entire world. It was unfair. He deserved better. He deserved to be cured. 

At the very least, he deserved a bit more Shift.

"We won't be out long today," Erwin said as they headed out the front door of the cabin. "We just need to get a few things from the Depot."

Unable to move his jaw beneath the muzzle, Levi simply nodded his head.

Though the cabin was far from the Wall, it was nowhere near as far from the filth of the cities as Levi would have liked. The fact of the matter, though, was that they couldn't live as far from the city as he wanted. They had to stay within an hour's walk, where they could get easy access to as much Shift as they needed. 

It was a necessary evil, Shift. As much as Levi detested it, he needed it. And with the hunger getting stronger... He couldn't hurt Erwin. HE COULDN'T. It simply wasn't an option. 

So every few days, they'd head into the city, into the Depot, for more of the golden liquid that was the bane of his existence and his only salvation from the hunger.

The Depot itself was a seedy place in the center of the ruins of Shiganshina, the nearest city. It had, at one point, been a bustling warehouse, in the heart of a bustling, thriving city. Now it was crumbling black market in the center of one of the many cities that had been wiped out when Titan had first appeared. Less than a third of the city's population had survived the outbreak, and most of those who had been infected had perished, as well. It took strength to withstand the virus.

The muzzle and harness and leash adorning Levi's neck and face and chest were a show of that strength. 

As grievous as his current condition was, it kept the muggers and pickpockets away. They feared him. 

Not only was Levi a Titan, but he was also a bounty hunter, fierce and cold, and his handler was a former soldier, well-trained and clad in the olive-green duster the military had issued him upon his induction so many years ago. The medals pinned onto the blonde's chest were very nearly as off-putting as the muzzle on the other. 

There was only one person within the city who did not fear them.

They found her in the Depot, peddling her wares from the back corner of the tumbledown building. As usual, there were a few other Titan-handler pairs looming around her little stall. Upon seeing the two of them, however, she waved the others away. This, too, was entirely usual. 

It was far from usual, though, for her to look so bothered at seeing them.

"You're early," was all she had to say. 

"I'm sorry, Petra," Erwin said, "but--"

"Take the muzzle off him, Erwin," Petra interrupted, her arms crossed over her chest. "He's the one who needs to answer."

She was right, of course, though Erwin hesitated. It was perfectly legal for Levi to be let loose in the Depot, but his hunger had been so strong lately...

"I'll take the muzzle off," he agreed, "but the harness stays on."

That sent a fresh wave of concern over Petra's face, and her eyes shifted over to Levi. She nodded.

Soon the muzzle was off, and Levi pushed his knuckles against his jaw in an attempt to massage feeling back into the numbed flesh. He hated that fucking muzzle. He also hated the way Petra was currently looking at him, and he all but demanded of her, "What?"

"You're early," she said again. "That was a week's supply of Shift, you know. It's been three days, Levi. There's no way you could've burned through it already..."

"Well, I did."

"Levi--"

"Don't take that tone with me, Petra." Levi's voice was startlingly cold. Something glowed behind his eyes. The rage. "You're human. You have no idea what it's like."

"But I know how dangerous it is." Petra's voice was the opposite of his, all maternal warmth and concern. "Taking so much at once can KILL you. Please tell me you at least distributed it instead of taking it all in one go."

Levi's silence was answer enough.

"Oh, Levi..." That sorrow was soon gone, though, and she was glaring at Erwin and asking, "And you let him?"

"What choice did I have?" It was a half-assed excuse, but it was all Erwin could think of. Petra's pretty amber eyes were razor-sharp when she went into mama-bear mode. "He says it's getting stronger."

Those lovely eyes went wide then, flashing that deep, burnished gold between the two men standing before her. "Levi, you..."

"I don't want your pity, Petra." After been said time and time again, those words were beginning to lose meaning. As tragic as that was, Levi was all too aware of it. "I don't want anyone's pity. What I need is a job." That part was true, at least. "You heard of any good ones lately?"

For a moment, Petra fell silent, chewing on her thumbnail as she thought. Eventually, though, she glanced up, asking, "You've heard of Grisha Jaeger, right?"

"The Titan expert?" It had been Erwin who asked. "The one who discovered the cure?"

"He has a son inside the Wall," Petra said, nodding. "The kid's infected. And with the cure... The doc is offering a pretty huge reward for having the kid returned for treatment."

"To go inside the Wall..." Erwin's reluctance was clear.

"We'd make quite a bit," Levi said, shrugging his shoulders. "No one wants to go into the Wall, we could prob'ly haggle out a good price..."

"Levi, there's a reason no one wants to go--"

"We might finally get enough to get me treated."

That was enough to give Erwin pause. 

"Think about it, Erwin." Levi's voice was sweet now, soft, his silver-bullet eyes melting into liquid mercury. "We could finally be normal. We could finally be together. Isn't that what you want?"

He was such a manipulative little thing...

But he was right.

Erwin sighed. "You know that's what I want," he agreed, "more than anything, but to go inside the Wall..."

"You've already been there, haven't you?" Petra asked, one well-groomed brow arching in curiosity. It was a challenge. "So why not--"

"I vowed I wouldn't go back," Erwin said, keenly aware of Levi's eyes as they searched his face. "It's Hell." Those eyes, though, were undeniable, and Erwin met them. "For you, Levi. For you, I'll go back."

"You're sure?" 

"All that convincing," Erwin said, finding himself oddly amused, "and now you're questioning it?"

Levi just shrugged. He was worried, that much was obvious. It didn't suit him.

"I love you, Levi." Truer words had never been spoken. "For you, I'll go. We'll get you well yet, I promise."

"And if he doesn't," Petra added, "I'll make sure he regrets it." She meant it.

"No, you won't." Levi did seem a bit amused by the notion, though. "We'll get in, grab the kid, and get out. Simple as that."

The humor was gone from Petra's face when she said, "Just be careful. I have a friend inside the Wall, and from what she said, the King's been going kinda crazy lately."

"The King?" Erwin asked, one thick brow lifting in curiosity.

"The King Inside the Wall," Petra answered with a shiver. "Nothing but trouble, that one. Avoid her, if you can."

"'Her?'" Levi sounded impressed. "The King is a woman?"

"That's what they say," Petra replied, looking just the slightest bit intimidated. "They also say she's absolutely brutal. I want you two to stay as far from her as you can."

"Well, we'll certainly try."

"Good." Though she was still clearly hesitant, Petra handed a vial of Shift over to Erwin, her eyes on Levi all the while. Her trust in him was waning, it seemed. Neither man blamed her for that.

The vial contained roughly double the usual amount of golden liquid. She prayed he wouldn't shoot it up all at once again. She prayed Erwin would keep Levi safe. Above all, she prayed for Levi's recovery. She desperately missed the man he was before the infection set in. 

"How much do we owe you?" Levi asked, though she waved him off.

"No charge today," was her response. "You two have enough to worry about as it is."

He was loath to admit it, but Levi agreed nonetheless. "That's true."

"Promise me something."

Levi's eyes met hers without a second of hesitation, silver on gold: "Anything."

"Promise me you'll come back."

Levi gave a sad smile to that. Besides Erwin, Petra was all he had. Who was he to deny her? "I promise."

"Erwin, you too."

Erwin's smile was more genuine, less pained. "I promise I'll come back."

"Good." Despite that, Petra didn't seem satisfied. "Now go find Dr. Jaeger. He oughta be at the old hospital on the corner."

"Shouldn't he be in one of the living cities?" Levi wondered aloud. "Shouldn't he have access to a real hospital instead of that old rat trap?"

"Don't have access to decent hunters in the living cities." 

It was the truth, and he nodded his agreement. "Take care of yourself, Petra," Levi said, turning his face toward Erwin as the muzzle was replaced.

"You, too."

"Maybe the next time we see you," Erwin said, "Levi will be human."

Petra's voice was soft and sweet and absolutely dripping concern: "I hope so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the repost, loves, but as I was glancing over this chapter again, I found a number of errors, and... Yeah. I detest errors, no matter how often I make them. So I set them right to the best of my ability. 
> 
> Also, I'm not quite sure how the harness system works, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Second opinions on the matter are greatly appreciated! 
> 
> And now we've got Petra thrown into the mix. You didn't think I was gonna write a multi-chapter fic without her in it, did you? She's too much of a doll not to include! She's Levi's friend, naturally, though I get the feeling she's not terribly fond of Erwin. More she tolerates him for Levi's sake, I think.
> 
> We're also starting to get into the plotlinenow. Grisha, though not a truly active character, will be of grave importance. You'll see. And we can't forget about the King! I'm hoping her identity will be a bit of a surprise, though we still have a few chapters to go before she makes her appearance
> 
> Next chapter: A job interview.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	4. Sterile Decay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was something fishy going on, Levi was sure of it. 
> 
> Judging by the furrows of Erwin's brow, he was sure of it, too. 
> 
> But what choice was there? With such a high bounty hanging in the balance, and with a chance to finally get Levi treated, there was no question as to what had to be done. Besides, there was no way Petra would lead them into a trap. There really was no choice but to enter.
> 
> ...
> 
> Trigger warning for this chapter: Torture, though it's kept very, very light. Also needles. That's all. 
> 
> We get another new setting in this chapter: Saint Maria's hospital. As well as a pair of character introductions: Grisha and Carla Jaeger. And an advance in the plot. Always good!
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall

"Cheery place, isn't it?"

Levi lifted an eyebrow at that, for the first time grateful for the muzzle that hid much of his face. At least Erwin couldn't see his amused smirk, though his little snort of laughter did not go unheard. Erwin seemed to relax a bit in response.

"Saint Maria's." Those too-blue eyes were roving, Erwin's hand tightening around the strap of leather that acted as Levi's leash, gently tugging him closer, protective. "This is the place." 

The hospital had definitely seen better days. 

The old brick facade was thoroughly cracked, faded to an unattractive, muddy color. 

It was contrasted, though, by the green sprouting through the worn-out mortar, the moss and ivy incredibly out of place in the heart of the city. They were all that could handle the still-clinging pollution, save the dandelions cropping up in the parking lot and the cracked sidewalks just outside the building. The trees, it seemed, couldn't handle the leftover smog, either, looming gaunt and skeletal at the corners of the structure, a few of them bowled over into the lot or onto the lower floors of the multi-leveled roof. 

One such tree had crashed clear through the roof, and a number of large, ragged crows had constructed nests there, cawing and flapping their great black wings as Levi and Erwin slowly approached. The place was a mess, there was no doubt about it.

It didn't seem fit to be the base of the man who had cured the Titan virus. 

There was something fishy going on, Levi was sure of it. 

Judging by the furrows of Erwin's brow, he was sure of it, too. 

But what choice was there? With such a high bounty hanging in the balance, and with a chance to finally get Levi treated, there was no question as to what had to be done. Besides, there was no way Petra would lead them into a trap. There really was no choice but to enter.

When Levi cleared his throat, the sound hung in the oddly chilled afternoon air, echoing about the silent hospital grounds, far too loud and impossibly out of place.

"You're right." Sighing, Erwin headed for the double-doors at the front of the building, stepping carefully around the cracks and crannies of the old lot's asphalt. The glass of the doors was thick and fogged and partially boarded-over, the doors themselves were not locked. 

That only set Levi further on edge, and he hung back for a minute, his eyes meeting Erwin's, intense, worried. There was a silent plea in that look.

Let me lead, Erwin. If I go first, you'll be able to get away if the worst happens. I'll distract them, and you can get away. Please, let me do at least that much.

It was almost as if he had said the words aloud, for Erwin nodded, and allowed him to take the lead, though he kept the leash tightly looped in his fist. 

The interior of the hospital was dim, the brilliant afternoon sunlight barely filtering in through the misty, boarded windows, golden beams highlighting dancing dust motes where a few of them had been shattered. 

If the newspapers were right, this hospital had been Grisha Jaeger's workplace before Titan had taken the world by storm, and the first of the infected had been taken here for treatment, though that treatment had been far from successful. 

The virus had spread from here, conquering city after city, nation after nation, until the entire world had drowned in chaos. There was a supposed cure for the virus itself now, but there would be no recovery for the world. 

Eleven years ago, the world had ended, and this was where it had begun.

This was ground zero.

The silence was heavy, and Levi felt himself tensing up in response. His instincts were taking over. That was one of the few good things about Titan: All that animalistic strength and fury came with sharp animal instincts.

There was decay all around them, but the signs of life were undeniable, too: Crows cawed, sparrows chirped, rats skittered in the walls and from beneath the floor, voices. Human voices. They were not alone.

Stealthy, as silently as they could manage, Levi and Erwin pressed on through an entrance hall stinking of mold and neglect and rotting wood. There were leaves scattered over the floor, crunching softly beneath their feet. Under the carpet of leaves, the linoleum floors were chipped and stained. The massive half-moon desk at the center of the room had gone all to pieces, too, though it was apparent that something-- Or someone --had aided in picking it apart. 

Toward the back of the dark, dank space was a line of doors that glimmered faintly in the afternoon light. They were elevators, Erwin wagered, though he was certain that they had long been out of use. It was too much of a risk to use them, even if, by some miracle, they were still operational. After this floor was thoroughly searched, they'd have to locate a stairwell.

As thick evening shadows lengthened over the floor and the pair explored old emergency rooms and the rat-infested cafeteria, the city noises increased in volume around them. The hoots of owls and the howling of carrion-fed wolves mingled with the shouting of wild teenagers and the occasional wail of a frightened child. Loudest of all were the roars of Titans unleashed. The city was a dangerous place once night fell.

The government wouldn't come here. They patrolled the countryside and the few little towns that had survived the epidemic, but the city was lawless, save the military's occasional anti-Titan genocide missions. Levi had barely escaped the last one, despite being registered and properly handled. 

Titans were a menace to society, but there was so little to be done about them. 

Hiding was all anyone could hope to do. Fighting a Titan meant certain death.

The Titan-howls were far too close for comfort, and Levi's icy gaze narrowed, his body practically vibrating with tension. Stepping back to press his shoulder blades to Erwin's elbow, he gave off a low growl, protective, a beast guarding its mate. 

A second, louder roar shook the hospital, dust falling and plaster creaking and windows rattling, and Erwin observed a bit too calmly, "It's coming from inside."

Another growl tore its way past Levi's throat at that, fierce, and Erwin tensed beside him.

"Levi..."

He whipped around at the sound of his name, liquid-mercury eyes white-hot and glowing. Titan was affecting him.

"I know that being around other Titans brings it out of you," Erwin said, his voice soft and as even as ever, though his eyes were mapping the room for escape routes. He wasn't stupid. "But I need you to calm down." 

For a moment, Levi was unresponsive, though those glowing eyes soon went wide, and he darted back as far as the leash tethered to his throat allowed, the glow fading slightly.

"You're all right." Cautiously, so cautiously, Erwin took a step forward, the thick leather strip wound tight around his clenched fist. "You're all right, Levi. I won't let them near you, I promise."

Those words were of little comfort, but Erwin's hand slipping against the close-cropped hair at the back of his neck sent a warm shiver through him, and he leaned into the touch as best he could. When he glanced up to catch the blonde's gaze, his own was normal, the glow flickering out like a candle in the wind.

"It was coming from the basement, I think," Erwin said next, the tension melting off him. "I'd lay money that that's where Jaeger is hiding."

Levi simply nodded, still looking frazzled, allowing Erwin to take the lead again as they headed to the door situated at the far wall of the pediatric wing. It was labeled with an image of a stick figure climbing a flight of stairs, though it was washed-out almost to nothing. The pediatric wing itself appeared to have once been painted with clouds and birds and the sun and a blue, blue sky, but the paint had long since faded into dingy blue-gray storm clouds. The door was beneath the sun.

The stairwell was far darker than the halls, musty and cramped. Never one to be unprepared, Erwin pulled a large metal flashlight from one of the multitude of pockets sewn into the lining of his coat. It had been military-issued, as had the coat itself, and was probably the most valuable thing in his possession. It was one of the few things he wouldn't part with for more Shift. Levi couldn't find it in himself to fault him for it.

The light was soon clicked on, flooding the dingy stairwell with liquid gold, scattering the rats that had congregated there. 

It was filthy, Levi noted, giving an inward shudder as they passed through spider webs and dust-laden air, keeping as close to his handler as he could without pitching them both down the stairs. Said stairs protested noisily under their weight, the metal squeaky with disuse.

Another shrieking roar from below gave rise to an even greater shudder, though he relaxed again when Erwin took his hand, whispering out, "It's going to be all right."

All he could do was nod.

Erwin was right, he told himself. Erwin was always right. 

When he moved in to remove the muzzle, though, Levi pulled back, shaking his head. 

"It's all right, Levi." There was no uncertainty in Erwin's voice, and carefully, he slipped the muzzle away from Levi's face. "We need to--"

"You need to put it back on." Levi, too, was entirely certain in his words. "You saw what happened. You can't leave me without it--"

"I also saw you hold yourself back," was Erwin's argument, the muzzle tucked into his coat, though Levi noted that he wasn't removing the leash. He was too smart to give up control completely. "I trust you, Levi. You ought to know that by now."

"That might just be the stupidest thing you've ever said." Even so, there was nothing Levi could do to ward off the slight flush overtaking his face at the thought. For just an instant, he was grateful for the darkness around them.

"That doesn't make it any less true."

And once again, they were on their way, winding down the dark stairwell until the pained roars of the Titan below were nearly too much to bear.

At the foot of the dark steps was another door, and from beneath it, light.

"Storm the castle?" Levi didn't even need to soften his voice; The Titan's roars drowned it out near-completely.

"What choice do we have?" Clicking the flashlight off, Erwin returned it to the lining of his coat, his hand returning to the open with a long bowie knife, held upside down, the blade hidden against his wrist as his left hand tightened around Levi's leash. "Shall we?"

Taking a moment to steady himself, Levi nodded and turned the door handle. 

The hall was bright, and Levi's oversensitive eyes squeezed shut in response, following Erwin blindly for a moment before his sight adjusted. The hall was surprisingly clean, almost sterile, and that brought Levi to the conclusion that, "This really is his base."

"At least one of them," Erwin agreed, creeping to the first of the doors lining the corridor.

They were thick metal, painted the same blinding white as the walls, with little square windows inlaid into them. Through the wire-enforced glass of the window, Erwin could see a human figure perched on the edge of a cot, clearly female despite being curled in on itself.

"There's one in there, isn't there?" Levi seemed genuinely disturbed by that notion.

"Yes."

Erwin's voice must have been too loud, as the Titan's head suddenly snapped up, and it rushed the window, plastering itself against the reinforced glass, its eyes blazing like amber set aflame. They must have been brown when it was human. It looked hungry.

A low growl worked its way through Levi's throat at that, though Erwin's strong hand on his shoulder kept him relatively grounded. "How many do you think there are here?" he asked, his voice a husky drawl.

Glancing down the hall, Erwin counted five other doors along the sides, and a pair of double-doors at the end. Those ominous doors seemed to be the source of the howling. 

"I'd say each of these rooms holds one Titan," Erwin said. "You couldn't put them together, or they--"

"They'd tear each other apart," Levi agreed, taking the lead again, doing his best not to look into the doors lining the corridor as they passed. It could easily be him in there if their mission was a failure. "But what about the doors at the end?"

"That's where we'll find Jaeger." There was no trace of uncertainty in Erwin's voice. 

Levi, though, was far less sure, stalking up to peer into the windows built into the swinging double-doors. It had once been a morgue, but now served a far crueler purpose.

As they had both suspected, the source of the Titan-shrieking was there: A tiny blonde boy was strapped down to a table in the center of the too-bright room, writhing and screaming as he was stabbed with a multitude of massive needles, the puncture wounds steaming in an attempt to heal themselves. His eyes were blazing sapphires. 

The boy Titan was not the only occupant of the room. 

Near his head was a woman clad in powder-blue scrubs, her face hidden behind a paper mask, her hair tucked into a cap. She was leaning far too close to him, petting his hair, her eyes loving and sorrowful and desperate all at once.

His tormenter was a man with bespectacled silvery-blue eyes, icy and impassive as he slid needle after needle beneath the boy's skin, each filled with a thick, sickly blue-green liquid.

It was torture. Not just for the boy Titan, but also for Levi. 

And he broke.

Barely evading Erwin's grip, Levi pushed open the doors to the operating room, demanding of its occupants, "Enough!"

For a moment, the three fell silent.

The silence didn't last, and soon the boy Titan was screaming again as the man resumed his grisly work, forcefully pushing more turquoise fluid into his veins. 

"Carla," the man said, not bothering to look up, "Remove them. I should be out shortly."

Nodding, though clearly still hesitant, the woman left the boy's side, one hand on Erwin's shoulder, the other's on Levi's, leading the both of them back out into the hall. 

Though Erwin obeyed, Levi didn't take it well, and it took a sharp tug on his leash to get him out of the room. Glaring hard, that fearsome glow backlighting his eyes, he snarled at the woman, "What are you doing to him?"

"We're helping him," Carla replied, removing her mask and standing before the door in an attempt to keep him out. It was admirable, if not a little foolish. Whatever was going on, it was clear that she believed that she was truly helping, but…

"That doesn't LOOK like helping. It looks like torture."

His hands firmly planted on Levi's shoulders, the leash looped tight around his fist, Erwin caught Carla's gaze, asking, "What, exactly, is going on in there?"

She turned then, looking into the operating room over her shoulder. "That," she said, her voice soft and at once fearful and reverent, "is the cure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sorta turned into an exercise in atmosphere... I like to think I did well. This sorta thing is so far disconnected from what I usually write... That said, I'm really enjoying it! I'll count it as a learning experience. There's still much more new territory to cover! Honestly, a fic that focuses more on Levi than Erwin is new territory in and of itself… 
> 
> Also, I'm trying to work a bit of history regarding the fall of the world into the background without making this fic sound like a history textbook.
> 
> Oh, and the brown-eyed female Titan... Can you guess who she is? The identity of the blonde, blue-eyed boy Titan is key, though. He'll be important later on, not as an active character, really, but someone to keep in mind.
> 
> Next chapter: Grisha Jaeger and his cure.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	5. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Monitor his vitals. We have to keep him alive, for Eren's sake, if nothing else. But I think it should work this time. I think we've finally gotten it right."
> 
> "You would do THAT without being sure it'd work?" There was something dark in Levi's voice, something pale in his eyes. He was nearing the edge.
> 
> "It will," was all Dr. Jaeger had to say. "We've got it right this time. It WILL work."
> 
> …
> 
> No trigger warnings at all for this chapter! :D
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall

"Will he be all right?" 

Carla Jaeger's question was ignored, her husband's eyes falling on Levi instead, cold and hard as he removed the surgical mask from his face, saying to the other men in the room, "I assume you two are here to inquire about the bounty on my son."

"Yes." It was Erwin who answered.

Levi was too busy gazing at the boy strapped to the table in the operating room to reply. It had been ages since he'd felt pity for anyone but himself. He wasn't quite sure how to deal with it.

"Carla, I need you to stay with Armin." Doctor Jaeger pulled off a pair of latex gloves as he spoke, his eyes finally shifting over to his wife. "Monitor his vitals. We have to keep him alive, for Eren's sake, if nothing else. But I think it should work this time. I think we've finally gotten it right."

"You would do THAT without being sure it'd work?" There was something dark in Levi's voice, something pale in his eyes. He was nearing the edge.

"It will," was all Dr. Jaeger had to say. "We've got it right this time. It WILL work."

"I hope, for his sake, you're right."

"Not for your own sake?" As Carla slid past and back into the too-bright operating room, Dr. Jaeger's eyes met with Levi's. "You have Titan in your system. Have you no desire to be cured?"

"All I want right now is a job," Levi replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your kid is inside the Wall, isn't he? How much'll you pay us to bring him here?"

The doctor's face fell at that.

"You don't have anything left, do you?" There was no accusation in Erwin's voice.

"Most bounty hunters demand half their pay before the bounty is returned, and you would be the fifth." Jaeger's voice was disheartened, his face a grim mask. "None of the others have returned."

"The cure is all you have to offer?" Levi asked. 

"Yes."

"And it hasn't even been perfected yet..." Levi cast his eyes up to Erwin. There was desperation in his gaze, in his voice, though no one but Erwin would ever realize it. That confidence was a guise. "We should go, Erwin. If it doesn't work, then there's no point--"

"It works," the doctor interrupted. 

"Does it now?" There was a sneer in Levi's voice.

"Armin is just a very special case," Jaeger explained, that icy façade returning." We couldn't risk treating him without being absolutely sure the cure would work. By the time you return from the Wall with Eren, Armin should be human again. It takes between three and five days for the cure to work through the body, even with Titan trying to fight it off. Three to five days after that, Eren will be cured as well. Will you be?"

Levi nodded. "I will."

"The cure is the price we ask," Erwin said, stepping up to Levi's side, a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "We bring the boy to you, and you get Levi treated with the cure."

"Rogue is a dangerous thing," Jaeger replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "The survival rate is quite low. It takes a strong body and a stronger sense of self to survive the cure. I fear for Armin, but Eren is as strong as they come. He can withstand it."

"What is Rogue, exactly?" Erwin asked.

"Rogue is the cure to the Titan virus," the doctor explained, pulling a vial of familiar blue-green plasma from the pocket of his blood-stained lab coat. "It's a derivative of the drug called Shift. It drives out the hunger and restarts the aging process, but the minds of those who have been treated with it..." He trailed off, glancing over his shoulder into the operating room, watching his wife fawn over the unconscious boy Titan strapped to the metal table.

"What happens to their minds?" It sounded like a demand. 

"Levi..."

"I need to know!"

It was a fair enough response, and Erwin let it slide, asking, though far more gently than Levi had, "What happens to their minds, Dr. Jaeger?"

"Titan itself can be driven out," Jaeger said, his voice soft and shamed, "as can the hunger, but the rage..."

"You can't get rid of the rage, can you?" Coming from Levi, it sounded like an accusation. 

Jaeger hesitated. "No."

"I've always had the rage, though..." Levi's voice was soft, his eyes meeting Erwin's over his shoulder. "You think it'd be worth it?"

"Just going into the Wall is dangerous enough as it is," Erwin said, sounding troubled, his brow furrowed in thought, "but to come back for these injections..."

"I wanna be normal, Erwin."

Just that tone was enough. 

"You have nothing to pay us with," Erwin said, "except Rogue. Levi and I will go into the Wall, find your son, and bring him home. In exchange, you will administer the cure to Levi."

"This isn't entirely foolproof," Jaeger countered, "and I will not be held responsible on the off chance that the treatment goes wrong."

"And if it does go wrong, and if Levi doesn't make it..." Erwin's voice was low, something dark creeping into it, his eyes as blue as the winter sky, cold and hard and merciless. "I'll make sure Eren doesn't survive, either."

As odd as it was, Levi was grateful for that dangerous streak. A soldier was not the sort to be trifled with, especially one who had climbed the ranks as quickly as Erwin had. 

"It has its risks, I'll admit," Jaeger said, still somehow composed, "but as strong as he seems..."

"He WILL make it," Erwin said.

At his side, Levi's eyes bright with something that wasn't the rage-glow. Hope. It had been so long since he'd been hopeful...

"With luck," Erwin continued, his own heart lifting just the slightest bit in spite of itself, "the kid will just be insurance."

"We won't ned it, of course." Levi's gunmetal gaze was unwavering, locking with bespectacled silver, audacious as ever. "I'm not a weakling; I can handle it."

"You don't know what happens to the ones who can't." Jaeger spared a final glance into the operating room, turning on his heel and heading down the hallway, Levi and Erwin following close behind. The door at the end of the hall had a wider berth than the others, and the room behind it was double the size of the little cells the various Titans were held in. 

Door number one: This was Jaeger's office. There was a desk at the center of the room, the back wall lined in bookshelves. There was a sort of warmth to the room that wasn't present in the sterile operating room or the gloomy halls or the decaying lobby. The space was clean, but it was undoubtedly lived-in, and there was an odd sort of comfort in that.

The troubled look on Dr. Jaeger's face was enough to drench all that warmth in ice water.

From one of the shelves along the back wall of the room, he drew a yellow file folder, setting it on the desk for the other men to take.

Levi was the one to pick it up. Inside was a multitude of files, old and new, some stained with streaks of gore. Paper-clipped to the front of the folder was a photo of a bespectacled woman, her hair cut to a silver bob, her eyes cold.

"Rico Brzenska," Jaeger said, taking a seat at the leather chair behind his desk. The file folder agreed on the woman's name. "She was a soldier, and one of the first to be infected. She was also the first to survive treatment with Rogue, though there were many to be treated before her. There's been progress with measuring dosage, but there's still a very large margin for error..."

"What happened to her?" Levi asked, handing the file to Erwin. "She still alive?"

Jaeger nodded: "She's in the facility, actually."

"Take me to her."

"She's behind door number five," Jaeger said, steepling his fingers as his eyes slipped shut. "She survived, but she was ultimately a failure. The rage in her is too strong. I can do nothing else for her. I don't even like to look at her, if I can avoid it."

"Coward." That said, Levi snatched the folder from Erwin and slapped it down onto the desk, taking the lead as he and Erwin headed back out into the hallway.

Door number two was directly across the corridor, where the hungry female Titan was kept. She was untreated, it seemed. That or she was another failure. Levi ardently hoped it was the former as they passed her cell.

Door number three came next along the hall, across from a blank wall. The Titan inside a tiny male, even smaller than Levi. He was muttering something to the walls of his little cell, pacing. Every so often, he'd laugh. He was far more present than the female Titan was, at least.

Door number four sat empty, the blonde boy Titan currently indisposed, and Levi turned away to the door across the hall.

Behind door number five was another female Titan, this one blonde and bespectacled. She seemed to take notice of the faces at the door, and she asked, "Who are you?"

Her voice was muted through the door, though Levi gave his response nonetheless: "It doesn't matter. Who are YOU?"

Through the reinforced glass of the window, she eyed him harshly, asking, "Are you with the government? Are you here to execute me?"

"Do I look like I work for the government?" 

She nodded then, saying, "My name is Rico."

"You're a Titan."

"So are you," she countered. "I can smell the rage on you." She was quiet for a moment, sniffing at the air. "It's a strange smell, actually. Human, even though we aren't." She paused, eyeing him, one thick brow raised. Something about her was off, that much was certain. "I've never smelled it as strong as I smell it on you. There's a lot of anger in that little body, isn't there?"

"You were treated with Rogue, weren't you?" Levi interrupted, his voice impassive. "Jaeger says you're a failure, though. That why he won't let you leave?"

Something behind Rico's eyes was flickering, a candle-flame dancing behind a silvery mirror. "The rage is too strong in me. I've always had it; There's nothing Jaeger can do to get rid of it. You're the same way, I can tell. Is that why you're here? You want to be cured, but he told you about me, and now you're feeling insecure?"

Levi's lack of an answer was an answer in and of itself. 

"I'm not a Titan anymore," Rico said, "that much is true. I age and I don't heal immediately and I'm only as strong as a normal person would be, but I don't feel human. I'm in between, and I get the feeling I'm going to be stuck in between forever."

"It's better than being a Titan, though, isn't it?"

The softness in Levi's voice betrayed his uncertainty, and Erwin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't say that."

And suddenly the door was open and Levi was inside, his hands fisted in the collar of Rico's scrub shirt, her face pulled close to his, both sets of glaring eyes ablaze. "It HAS to be better," was all Levi had to say.

"Levi, that's enough." 

It was Rico's gaze that found Erwin first, and she jerked herself free from Levi's grip, darting into the far corner of the little cell. "You said you weren't government."

"We aren't," Erwin replied, tugging at the leash to pull Levi back to his side. 

"That coat you're wearing is military-issued."

"We're freelancers."

"Bounty hunters, you mean," Rico said, and the other blonde nodded. "You're going to try going after Eren. You aren't the first." She shook her head, her eyes blazing as she crouched against the wall, a cornered animal, wild and fierce and far too dangerous to share space with. "And you won't be the last."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grisha's way of speaking is a bit cryptic, I think... He's the unscrupulous sorta doctor who'd administer painful treatments without knowing their effects.
> 
> And poor Armin, stuck on the receiving end... That's hard to write. Armin is a favorite character of mine and to see him tortured... It's not fun. Nor is it fun to see Rico in such a state. Or Sasha or Connie, for that matter, though I'm not as attached to them as I am to Armin.
> 
> Next chapter: A decision is to be made.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	6. Dark of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The city was more dangerous at night, everyone knew that, yet there they were, trooping through the blue-black midnight air, darting from the light of one street lantern to the next, hands clasped tightly together despite the presence of that horrid leash and harness. The muzzle was gone, still hidden in Erwin's coat, though for a Titan to be without one was illegal. There were more dangerous things in the night than government officers. Hell, in the night, even the officers went into hiding.
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall

The city was more dangerous at night, everyone knew that. 

Nighttime was no time to be out and about, and everyone knew that as well. 

Yet there they were, trooping through the blue-black midnight air, darting from the light of one street lantern to the next, hands clasped tightly together despite the presence of that horrid leash and harness. The muzzle was gone, still hidden in Erwin's coat, though for a Titan to be without one was illegal. There were more dangerous things in the night than government officers. Hell, in the night, even the officers went into hiding.

The two of them had made it to the edge of the city, though not easily, and a trip that would have taken half an hour in daylight took four times that long. The way back to the cabin was a soft, curving road through the crumbling suburbs, and that walk would be considerably easier, despite the dropping temperature. 

The cold was gnawing at Levi's shoulders through his shirt, though, and in an attempt to distract himself, he asked, "Are we actually gonna go into the Wall?"

"What choice do we have?" was all Erwin had to say.

"You'd be willing to risk your life for a cure that might not even work?" Levi asked, one well-groomed brow arching in curiosity. 

"Levi, I would be willing to give up my life if it meant you being human again."

"That's stupid." He only half meant it. "If you were dead," he said, his fingers tightening around Erwin's, "there'd be no point in me being human. I'd just get old and lonely and die alone. At least if you died and I stayed infected, I'd get to remember you for however long I lived before a hunter managed to get me."

"That's a rather dismal way to see it," Erwin said, though there was a soft smile on his lips. The moonlight shone in his eyes. "You're strong. You could go on without me."

"Doesn't mean I'd want to."

"No, I suppose it doesn't."

What remained of the suburbs just outside the city was far safer than Shiganshina itself, quiet and calm and strangely still. The houses were empty for the most part, wild and overgrown by the local vegetation. They echoed of lost potential, of happy families perishing as the world went to flames around them. Could one member of the family go on without the rest?

"I would want you to, though," Erwin eventually said, his voice mingled with the singing of crickets and the chilled autumn breeze rustling through gold and crimson and umber leaves. "I want you to go on living no matter happens, even if I can't be there."

"If you were dead," Levi countered, "why would what you want matter anymore?"

"It wouldn't," Erwin replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "to anyone but you."

He was right, though Levi dared not agree. As much as he was Erwin's world, Erwin's everything, Erwin was his. There was no world without Erwin, no ANYTHING without Erwin. It was pathetic, really, but try as he might to fight it off, he couldn't. He'd searched for it all his life, checking in corners and under rocks and everywhere he could. It had taken so long... But eventually perfection had found him in the grime of the city, taking the form of a blonde with eyes like the sky and a smile like the sun, and he damn sure wasn't about to let it go.

"Levi? Is everything all right?" Erwin's voice was soft, yet still it echoed in the still air of the meadow. Had they truly come so far already? "You're being awfully quiet..."

"Just thinking."

"About?"

"You."

A smile overtook Erwin's face at that, and he said, "You know, I still get goose bumps when you admit to thinking about me."

"Stop being so sappy, you big, stupid puppy." There was no bite in Levi's voice. "We're almost home. When we get there, maybe we can cuddle a bit before we start packing."

"Levi..."

"I'm okay for now, I promise."

"Being close to me makes it worse."

"Consider it a favor, then," Levi said, rolling his eyes. "I'm cold and I'm lonely and I really just..." He sighed. "I need this, one last time before we go into the Wall."

"Levi..." Erwin's voice was quiet again, one arm looping carefully around the Titan's waist, holding him close when he asked, "Are you afraid?"

The younger man's responding glare could cut diamonds, and he snarled under his breath, "Of course I am. You'd hafta be an idiot not to be. We're about to go INSIDE THE WALL, Erwin. There's a reason no one inside the Wall. There are Titans there, and you know how I get around other Titans. If I end up hurting you..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"You won't." There was no room for uncertainty in Erwin's voice, in the set of his jaw or in the blue steel of his eyes. "I know you, Levi. You wouldn't hurt me."

"Or so you like to think," was all Levi had to say, pulling as far away as he could while still tethered by that god-forsaken leash. 

"So I know." Without permission, Erwin was close again, lacing icy golden fingers through pale too-warm ones, moonlit eyes meeting Levi's. "You aren't the sort of person to harm another, let alone kill them, especially without reason."

"I would have a reason, though," Levi said, staring down at their joined hands, gold on white, sun on ice. "Hunger."

"We have enough Shift to keep you reigned in long enough for--"

"You don't know that, Erwin." The moon was shimmering in those icy gunmetal eyes, and for an instant, it almost looked as if the Titan glow had overtaken them. "You don't know anything about what it's like to actually HAVE that hunger. You don't know what it's like to have TITAN. Reading about it is completely different from actually HAVING it."

To that, Erwin said nothing, merely tightening his hand around Levi's. 

The meadow soon gave way to familiar rolling hills, and they found the cabin exactly as they had left it. It had once been a summer retreat for Erwin and his father, but as the city-- As the world --crumbled, it became home. Erwin's father had died long before the virus had come about, but he would have been pleased to see the cabin come into such use. He had loved it. 

Still lost in silence, Erwin slid the key from his pocket and into the lock, pushing the door open and stepping into the darkness. A lantern was soon lit, and he turned to Levi again, working the buckles of the harness open and easing the leather strap-work away.

A soft gasp was pulled past Erwin's lips when Levi suddenly stood on his toes, wiry arms looping around strong shoulders, pulling him down and holding him close. 

"If I get to be human again," Levi said, his voice smoky and soft, "you have to promise to let me kiss you whenever I want."

Erwin's smile was a warm thing, even in the autumn chill. "Of course."

"Now go start up a fire." Levi pulled away at that, though his hands anchored themselves on Erwin's hips. "I'm cold." That said, he pulled away and flopped onto the old armchair before the hearth. 

Giving a bemused shake of his head, Erwin did as he was told, adding fresh logs to the fireplace and striking up the flames with a flint. 

He startled a bit when Levi appeared at his side, placing a large cast-iron pot on the rack above the fire. "I'm gonna take a bath," the brunette announced as he pulled back again, reclaiming the armchair. 

"That sounded like an invitation."

"It was."

The silence that fell between them then was warm with a sort of tension Erwin didn't care to name. 

"I'm going to pack," was Erwin's eventual response, and he stood. "Just enough for three days. We'll have to pack light..."

"How long will it take to get to the Wall?" Levi asked.

"Half a day's walk, I think," Erwin replied, glancing up at the map tacked above the mantle. "Three days inside the Wall, and then another half-day back into Shiganshina. We're to meet Jaeger at St. Maria's once we have Eren."

"And the girl," Levi added, watching the flames dance in the hearth. "The kid's handler. He said we'd need to return her, too."

"They ought to be together, at least," Erwin said. He certainly hoped they were together.

The kid had been inside the Wall for eleven years, though, and there was no way of knowing if he or his handler were even alive. Hell, in such a long time, she could have even gone Titan herself. Jaeger wouldn't like that, but it was better than the possibility of her being dead. As far as they knew, though, she was human, and would have aged eleven years since the photo was taken. 

It would be worth it, though, bringing them back.

If their mission succeeded, Levi would become human again, and that was worth anything and everything. 

"You got that constipated look..."

"Do I?"

"What's got you thinking so hard?" Levi asked, watching as Erwin came to perch on the arm of the chair.

Erwin smiled then, brushing his knuckles over a slightly flushed cheek and echoing Levi's earlier statement: "You."

"What about me?" The words were spoken into Erwin's palm, warm, soft lips working over calloused skin.

"We had just met when you shifted."

"And...?"

"And I realized that I've never actually kissed you."

"You JUST realized that?"

Erwin's defense was a soft, "I try not to think about it.

Levi rolled his eyes at that. "You're a fucking saint, y'know that?"

"You may have said that once or twice."

"It's true," Levi persisted, nuzzling the soft skin along the inside of Erwin's wrist. "Sometimes I wish you'd have been the one who shifted instead of me. You have better self-control than anyone I've ever met. You'd be a better Titan than I am."

"I'd probably have ended up distancing myself from you," Erwin said, his voice thick, his eyes hazy and unfocused.

"Then I'd prob'ly have ended up chasing you," Levi said, placing a soft kiss at the delta of joined veins in Erwin's wrist. "You know I would."

"I've no doubt of that."

"I love you too much to let you get away," Levi said, his voice soft and strangely warm. His eyes were dark when they met Erwin's.

"Don't look at me like that, Levi."

"Why not?"

"It's too tempting."

"Oh?"

It was nowhere near as tempting as the slow drag of Levi's tongue over his fingers, and he jerked away, eyes wide and dark, face brilliantly flushed. "Don't."

"Just once." Levi's voice was husky and deep, that harsh, smoky purr that drove Erwin mad. "We can keep our clothes on and everything. I won't even kiss you, I promise. Please?"

"Levi..."

"Don't you 'Levi' me. I want you, Erwin."

"You always want me."

"And. what, you don't want ME?"

"Of course I do," Erwin said, nearly sounding defensive. "But it's just not possible. You know that."

"I know." There was something painful in Levi's voice, a deep, hidden ache that he did his best to hide. "It kills me, but I know you're right." His smile was bitter. "You're always right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, you guys seem to enjoy the boys being angsty, so you get some more of that, as well as a bit of explanation on the look of their crumbling world. As to the boys' actual relationship... For some reason, the knuckles-against-cheek thing is, to me, probably the most romantic gesture there is. I dunno. 
> 
> Also, more on the terms of the trade. Eren's handler is to be returned with him, but who is she? It's kind of obvious, I think, but no one else seemed fitting of the role...
> 
> Next chapter: A journey begins with a single step.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	7. The Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the mist and the drizzling morning rain, the Wall seemed almost endless. The fog hid the top from sight, and it seemed to strain toward the sky, reaching ceaselessly for the sun that it failed to find. It stretched on endlessly to both sides as well, and the curves were invisible in the mist-cloaked morning. 
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"It's a bad omen."

Erwin gave a reluctant chuckle at that, asking, "Since when are you the superstitious type?"

"I'm not." Those words were accompanied by a faux-nonchalant shrug, though neither man was convinced by it. "But rain and fog on arrival is a shitty start to a job no matter how you look at it."

"I suppose it is."

In the mist and the drizzling morning rain, the Wall seemed almost endless. The fog hid the top from sight, and it seemed to strain toward the sky, reaching ceaselessly for the sun that it failed to find. It stretched on endlessly to both sides as well, and the curves were invisible in the mist-cloaked morning. It formed a massive circle, they knew, but the shifting of the ground beneath was beginning to effect the structure. It had been built hastily, without a foundation, and after eleven years of reaching and reaching, keeping the beasts inside safely contained, the Wall's age was beginning to show, the mortar cracking and the bricks themselves chipping away piece by piece. In fifty years, give or take, it would be gone. Neither Erwin not Levi took any comfort in that. 

The Wall itself was surrounded by a high chain-link fence, a warning to passersby, a space left lawless, save for an occasional military scout, though they were few and far-between. 

The warning zone, as it was called, fanned out about a mile from the Wall, nature fading out into the grit and grime of the fallen city. There were a few tumbledown houses built in the area, small and ramshackle, owned by the silly, stupid fools who expected their human loved ones to come out of the Wall alive. 

It was a ridiculous notion, of course.

The human population inside the Walls had dropped to almost nothing within the first month of its construction. They had, naturally, been devoured by the Titans within. As was to be expected with such situations, the bleeding-hearts had complained of the "inhumanity" of starving the Titan-afflicted people inside the Wall, and the government had, for once, taken appropriate action. Death row prisoners and federal offenders and all manner of violent criminals had been shipped in to the Wall as food for the Titans. Soon after, though, the government had collapsed in on itself, and the flow of food had nearly stopped altogether. 

The more disturbing rumors started then, rumors that the surviving criminals were being bred like cattle by the more intellectually present of the Titans.

That notion was also ridiculous, but Levi felt himself growing edgier the closer they got to the Wall itself nonetheless. 

Tethered by his harness, he kept a sharp eye out, sticking close to his handler's side, moving with the weary grace of a wildcat. "Where are the gates?" His voice was soft, hushed and rough and smoky, almost indistinguishable from the crunch of the gravel beneath his boots.

A bit hesitantly, Erwin admitted, "I'm not quite sure." His eyes swept over the area, but with the mist hovering so thick around them... "The fog is making it a bit hard to see, but if we keep moving along the Wall, we're bound to find it sooner or later."

Soaked to the bone and thoroughly irritated, Levi allowed himself to be led around the Wall, keeping close to Erwin's side, restless eyes darting about as they moved. As of yet, they hadn't seen another living soul, on the road or in the crumbling suburbs or on the cracked, winding highways they had been following. It was almost eerie. 

They were marching towards their own doom, Levi was sure of it. They were marching towards their own deaths. But maybe that wasn't so bad. Death meant no more Titan. Death meant no more hunger, no more Shift, no more of the virus slowly eating him alive from the inside out. Death would be a release, really. Hell, if he got to go down with Erwin, he wouldn't mind at all.

"Do you hear that?"

No, he didn't. He'd let his guard down. That was a mistake, one that could easily prove fatal, and Levi scolded himself. Glancing around, his eyes meeting with nothing but fog and brick, his ears pricking nervously, he asked, "What?"

"Music."

For a moment, Levi fell silent, listening.

It was faint, soft, but there was no denying the music. And for there to be music so close to the Wall...

Levi followed the sound, Erwin trailing close behind.

And sure enough, there it was: The gate. The music was playing from inside the little cage where the gatekeeper sat, strange, swingy jazz from some long-forgotten age piercing through the fog. The radio was small, hooked up to a generate that buzzed quietly as it worked. The gatekeeper was humming, tapping his fingers in time against the metal of his desk. The sound was almost jaunty, and somehow, that only served to enhance the eeriness of the misty morning.

When they stopped in front of the cage, Erwin smiled, looking more at ease than he had since they had left home. "Pixis," he called, "it's been a while."

The gatekeeper squinted for a moment before he gave a grin of his own. "Ho-ho, Smith!" He stood, making his way over the fence. "Didn't expect to see you! And here of all places!" 

"It has been a while," Erwin agreed.

"Ten years or so, I think," Pixis said, smiling amiably as he stood, opening the door to the cage and gesturing the others into his little makeshift office. There was barely enough room for the three of them, what with all the heavy file cabinets lining the walls. "Since you went AWOL, yes?"

Erwin merely nodded, looking somewhat abashed. 

Pixis' hazy amber eyes fell on Levi then, critical and curious, and he asked, "You brought your Titan?" His face seemed to fall then. "This isn't just a social visit, is it?"

"I'm afraid it isn't," Erwin replied, shaking his head and sounding genuinely apologetic. He'd always been a grand actor. Surely Pixis knew that. 

That tawny gaze found Erwin again, grave and inquisitive and concerned all at once, and Pixis asked, "Why are you here, Smith?"

There was a pause then, and Erwin briefly debated lying, but there would be no point. Pixis was there way in. They couldn't lie to him. "We need to go inside the Wall," Erwin eventually said, pulling a manila envelope from one of the pockets of his coat and handing it over. "We have a job to do."

Inside was a synopsis of the Jaeger bounty, photos of the boy and his handler, and a set of hints as to where they might be found. The terms of Levi's treatment were there, too, as well as the terms of the bounty itself. 

Flipping through the pages, Pixis tossed an alcohol-dulled glance up at Erwin and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Absolutely." There wasn't so much as a trace of doubt in Erwin's voice, and Levi took some small comfort in that. "And as an officer of the military--"

"As a FORMER officer of the military," Pixis corrected, his face stony as he handed the file back. "I can't let you in."

Erwin's brow furrowed at that, his eyes going icy in an instant. "Pixis--"

"But as a colleague," the old man said, interrupting with a gesture of his hand and an amiable smile, "I suppose I can let you in just this once. Just make sure you're careful."

And the calm was back. "Of course." It sounded sincere enough.

"The King's been going a little mad lately," Pixis continued, taking a sip from the silver hip-flask he had carried since his military career had first begun. It was silver, a rose with platinum petals fanning out from the center. It had been a gift from his wife, before he had lost her to the virus. "The number of humans inside the Wall is shrinking, I think, and she's been getting hungry. She catches wind of your presence..."

"We won't be inside long enough for that to happen," was Erwin's reply, though he got the feeling it was only half true. 

"Good." Pixis didn't sound convinced either. 

Nevertheless, he headed to the back of the little office, to the side room that housed the gate itself.

The fence that formed the walls of the office kept the space separated from the gate, and Pixis pulled a key from the pocket of his army-green jacket, popping open the heavy padlock that stood between the office and the metal door.

The massive gate into the Wall was sealed shut by two heavy wheel-like mechanisms attached to a pair of multi-leveled deadbolts on either side of the door. As he turned the first of the wheels, Pixis said, "It really is a shame you left the military, Smith. You could've gone far."

"I would have had to leave Levi behind," Erwin replied, his fingers tangling with the Titan's, gentle and out of sight against their sides. "It wouldn't have been worth it, even to become Admiral."

"Honestly," Pixis said next, still working at the first of the oversized deadbolts, "I'm surprised you're still together."

"Why's that?" Levi sounded mildly offended by that, his silver-bullet eyes cutting deep.

That look did nothing but cement Pixis' opinion, though. "I figured you'd have snapped by now," he said, shrugging his shoulders as if it were nothing. "From what I know of you, you're edgy. You were a thug before you met Erwin, weren't you? You're a dangerous man, Levi." Pixis was silent for a moment, the first of the deadbolts finally sliding away, and he moved on to the second. "It's been over a decade, hasn't it? There's less than seventy Titans legally living outside the Wall, from what I've heard. It used to be hundreds. They're all losing the battle the virus, it seems."

To that, Levi said nothing, his gaze cooling and dropping to the peeling linoleum beneath his boots. 

Erwin, of course, took notice of his discomfort straightaway.

"And what have you been up to, Pixis?" he asked, a bit of derision tainting his perfectly calm exterior. "Still leading execution missions?"

"Actually, no." Pixis' smile was almost serene. "After the initial outbreak, and what happened with Anka..." He trailed off, pausing in his work to shake his flask. "You get the picture. So they demoted me to gatekeeper."

"I'm sorry." It sounded true, and honestly, it was.

"Don't be." Pixis didn't seem at all bothered. "I did it to myself."

That, too, was true, Erwin decided, choosing to stay silent as Levi's fingers tightened around his.

The reality of their situation was finally sinking in, it seemed. They were going into the Wall.

If they succeeded, Levi would finally get treated. He would finally be human again. Rogue was a dangerous thing, Dr. Jaeger had said so himself, but Levi was strong. He would live. He had lived through so much already...

If they failed, though... There were too many possibilities. They would be locked inside the Wall. They would die alone. They would be devoured by Titans...

Erwin would be devoured by the Titan he loved.

No. There was no room for doubt.

They would succeed. 

They would.

At long last, the series of thick deadbolts over the gate slid open with a loud clunk, and Pixis stepped aside. "Three days," he said, his face grim. "After that, you're considered legally dead, and I won't be able to let you out, even if you manage to find your way back."

"Understood."

Nodding, Pixis shoved the heavy metal door open, and the blast of city-warmth hit like a brick wall. Solemn, unspeaking, he let them pass.

And so they entered, the gate sliding closed behind them with an ominous groan.

The sound of it echoed off the graffiti-spattered interior of the Wall, though otherwise, there was no sound at all. 

Trost, the walled city, was seemingly desolate. 

The early afternoon light was golden, shimmering off the concrete and the carpet of broken glass on top of it, sparkling in the few windows that remained in the surrounding buildings. For all its strange, dilapidated beauty, it was filthy, though, blessedly, there seemed to be no rats. The scent of rot, of death, lingered on the air, thick and heavy and sickly sweet. There was no wind, all movement of the outside world blocked by the brick of the Wall, and the city felt stagnant.

"This is it?" Levi's voice was soft, yet still it seemed to echo. 

"This is it."

Erwin's eyes roved, blue sweeping over silver and white and all the shades of gray in between. They were not alone, he was sure of it. 

In the shadows between the towering buildings, in the sewers, hidden behind the windows and perched on the roofs... There were a million eyes on them, all glowing, electric blue and dazzling green and shimmering gold, though Erwin could not see them.

At his side, Levi growled.

Erwin could not see them, no, but Levi could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Pixis. The silly, charming old drunk... He was Erwin's commanding officer at some point in the past... Also, he was married. To Anka, I guess. She's the only person I can think to pair him with. In this fic, he sorta reminds me of Winston from The Mummy... Also, the song he was playing was probably Peggy Lee's It's a Good Day
> 
> We also get a little look at Levi and Erwin's past in this chapter, though there's naturally more to come.
> 
> Next chapter: Inside the Wall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	8. The Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All those eyes...
> 
> A growl tore its way from Levi's throat, and he stepped back to Erwin's side, pressing the small of his back to the larger man's arm. "Erwin, go." His voice was husky, dangerous, and though Erwin could not see his face, he knew that those silver-bullet eyes were aglow. "Get outta here."
> 
> "I won't leave you."
> 
> "Then you'll end up as Titan food."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

All those eyes...

A growl tore its way from Levi's throat, and he stepped back to Erwin's side, pressing the small of his back to the larger man's arm. "Erwin, go." His voice was husky, dangerous, and though Erwin could not see his face, he knew that those silver-bullet eyes were aglow. "Get outta here."

"I won't leave you."

"Then you'll end up as Titan food."

"Oh, relax." It was a woman's voice, and its owner soon stepped out from the shadows between a skyscraper and a dilapidated gas station. For living in such a squalid place, she looked remarkably healthy, her hair golden, her eyes bright. There was a sardonic little grin on her face as she spoke. "We aren't gonna eat him."

Those words only served to make Levi tense further, though the rage seemed to be fading when he asked, "You're human?"

"Yep." The woman smiled, her molten-chocolate eyes roving as the Titan eyes faded out around her. "I'm territory, actually. I belong to a Titan, and the others know well enough to leave me be. They won't hurt your friend unless he attacks them or you give him over to them."

"That'll never happen."

"Then he has nothing to worry about." She turned then, gesturing for them to follow, calling, "C'mon. I'm sure you guys're hungry."

"Why would--"

She cut Levi off though, saying, "I don't see many humans here. Why shouldn't I welcome him properly? And if I welcome him, I have to do the same for his owner, don't I?"

"I'm not his owner."

"Then he's yours," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Judging by the leash..."

Levi merely scowled at her back, turning to Erwin to ask, "Don't you have anything to say about this?"

"Military, remember?" Erwin's voice was oddly toneless, his eyes roving. "I need to observe."

To that, Levi said nothing.

"Old military, huh?" The woman was clearly not surprised. "I knew I recognized that coat. My owner is ex-military, too. Doesn't like to talk about it, though." Shrugging, she pushed open the door to the gas station, gesturing them in with a warm, "Welcome."

The inside of the crumbling station was far from what Levi or Erwin had expected. It was still dilapidated, yes, but it was hidden well by the utter WARMTH of the place. It was a tea shop, the floor littered with tables and mismatched chairs and humans and Titans chattering amiably as if one had no desire to devour the other. It was almost surreal. 

"Welcome to my shop," the woman said, smiling. "It doesn't have a name, but it's open to anyone who, y'know..." She shrugged. "Doesn't try to eat people."

"Didn't think places like this existed inside the Walls," Levi observed, leaning into Erwin's hands as the older man undid the straps of his harness.

"Most people don't," the woman said with a smile. "The interior is as wild and dangerous as the outsiders say, but not all of us are like that. This place is a haven for the ones who aren't." She smiled, warm and welcoming. "You can stay here as long as you need to."

"Thank you," Erwin said, tossing a quick glance up at her as the harness slid off Levi's shoulders to pool at his waist. He had no intention of taking her up on the offer, though. "We appreciate it."

The blonde was closely focused on his task, Levi held close as he knelt to pull the straps of the harness from the smaller man's belt loops.

"You two don't just belong to each other, do you?" Clearly not expecting an answer, the woman shrugged and said, "Sit. I'll get you some tea and a bite to eat."

And sit they did, though they had barely been in their seats for a second when Levi asked, "Do you think we can trust her?"

"Honestly," Erwin said, glancing around at the little groups of humans and Titans occupying the tea house, "I don't trust anyone but you."

"Prob'ly for the best."

"You want to leave?" There was nothing Erwin could do to mask the surprise in his voice.

Levi merely nodded.

"But you love tea." There was, oddly enough, a trace of amusement in Erwin's voice.

"And I'm sure you're hungry," he agreed, "but can we really trust this woman not to poison us and feed us to the Titans?"

For a long moment, Erwin was silent. Eventually, though, he admitted, "I'd love to say you're just being paranoid, but really..."

"Exactly. She'd probably feed us to her so-called owner. He's ex-military, too, and you can't trust those guys..."

To that, Erwin just gave a bemused little smirk.

"You're the exception that proves the rule, of course," Levi said with a shrug and a smirk of his own. Then he stood, brushing spidery fingers along Erwin's shoulder and beckoning, "C'mon."

Naturally, Erwin followed, and the walled city seemed an entirely different place on their exit.

Whereas it had been deserted upon their arrival, Trost was alive now. It almost looked like a normal city.

Except, of course, for the human meat for sale at the multitude of roadside butcher stalls. It seemed humans really weren't as hard to come by as the outsiders thought.

While it was nothing short of sickening to Erwin, Levi's response was on the opposite end of the spectrum. 

Even among the clatter of the city, his voice came through loud and clear: "Got any Shift?"

"No." 

It was a lie, and a blatant one at that, but Levi did nothing to contest it, merely sighing and forcing out a strained, "Let's go."

"There used to be a military office around here," Erwin said a bit too casually as they walked, keeping a watchful eye on Levi all the while. The conversation was an attempt at a distraction, and they both knew it. "Before the city fell, it was an army base. It made it a bit too easy to lock all the Titans in here." Erwin sighed, glancing around with weary eyes. "Or at least as many of them as we could lock up."

"How many did you have to kill?" Levi wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"How many did the military have to kill," Erwin asked, "or how many did I have to put down on my own?"

Levi didn't answer, his eyes hazy and distant.

"Too many," was all the response Erwin could give. He hoped it didn't sound forced. All those deaths... Truth be told, he had lost track of how many Titans he had exterminated himself. It had been over a decade, and try as he might, he had yet to wash all the blood from his hands. Visiting what was left of the Trost Army Base certainly wasn't going to help. The possibility that they knew where Eren was, though, was too great to allow them to avoid it.

The building wasn't terribly hard to find, though it was done up in the same drab fashion that made up the rest of Trost. It hadn't been moved, at least. 

"Do I need to put the harness back on?" Levi asked as they stepped up to the wood-and-glass double-doors leading into the building.

"It isn't required," Erwin said, sounding a bit hesitant. "Just behave yourself. You know how officers get."

"Too bad they aren't all like you."

To that, Erwin merely smiled.

The doors opened before them, and they stepped into the front office, onto chipped linoleum floors. The walls had once been white, though they had faded to an eggshell color, cracked and littered with faded promotional posters. 

At the desk at the back of the room sat a young man with a terribly out of style bowl-cut, a blonde woman perched on the desk's edge. 

"Ooh, who're you two?" It was the woman who asked, and she soon stood, sauntering over to Levi and Erwin to inspect them further, droopy eyes roving. "The blonde's human," she called over to her companion.

"I can see that." Bowl-cut stood, too, and soon he was at the woman's side. "Commander Smith," he said, suddenly standing at attention and giving a stiff salute, "it's nice to meet you, sir."

"Commander Smith?" The woman seemed confused by that. Her dullard's eyes met Erwin's for a moment, her head quizzically cocked. "Didn't he die?"

"He deserted," bowl-cut said, sharp eyes falling on Erwin. "Something about--"

"He left to be with me," Levi interrupted, looking jus the slightest bit smug. "It was desertion, technically, but a lotta the higher-ups liked him enough to let him get away with it."

"You two're together?" The woman's eyes were darting between Erwin and Levi as she spoke, and a lazy smirk soon came over her face when she said, "Cute."

Giving a weary sigh, Erwin asked, "Is your commanding officer here? I need to speak with him."

Bowl-cut nodded. "Commander Hannes is here," he said, sounding rather disgusted, "but you'll find him rather... Indisposed, I think. He drinks too much." He rolled his eyes, glaring off to the side. "He drinks more than he does his job..."

"You would say such a thing about your commanding officer?" Erwin asked. He sounded a little offended.

"It's not defamation," bowl-cut said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's a fact. But he's the only one who would take control here, and it's not as if the government is going to come into the Wall just to replace him. It's easier to just leave him be."

"Either way," Erwin said, his patience wearing a bit thin, "I need to speak to him."

Tossing a wary glance at Levi, the boy nodded, stepping to the door behind his desk. He knocked once, twice, then spoke into the other room, saying, "Commander Smith is here to see you, sir."

"Smith?" There was a pause, the shuffling of papers, and eventually, the Commander called back, "Send him in."

A nod from the boy with the bowl-cut, and Erwin and Levi were in the office.

"Smith!" His face flushed, Commander Hannes shakily stood. "'S been years!"

"It has."

That brought a chuckle bubbling past Hannes' lips. "Still so serious."

"Of course." There was no humor in Erwin's voice. "As an officer of the military, it seems unfitting not to be."

For a moment, Hannes' face fell, though he was soon laughing again. "Still a stick in the mud!"

The other blonde's face was utterly mirthless.

Hannes' laughter soon stopped, though, and his eyes fell to Levi. "Isn't he the one you went AWOL for?" he asked, eyeing the little brunette with unrestrained curiosity.

"He is."

"He's a Titan." Something dark was creeping into the edges of Hannes' voice, his gaze hardening.

Again: "He is."

The Commander's eyes soon found Erwin's, and he said, his voice gone startlingly cold, "I don't take well to Titans."

When those eyes flickered toward the wall behind them, Erwin and Levi's eyes followed.

"It's hard to preserve them," Hannes was saying, a cold sort of glee in his voice, "what with the way they evaporate when they die, but it's worth it for the effect, don'tcha think?"

Once again, Erwin and Levi were surrounded by a multitude of Titan eyes.

These, though, were mounted on the walls, a sick imitation of the deer heads humans had once proudly displayed on their walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know who the blonde woman is, don't you? This is only my second time writing Nanaba, but she was exceptionally well-received in Make Me, so I figured she could play a bit part in this fic :) Also the Titan who "owns" her shall appear later on, though I imagine it's fairly obvious who he is...
> 
> Ugh, and Hitch. And honest-to-a-fault Marlowe. And Hannes. I like Hannes, actually, but the drunkard commander was something I really wanted to include. Not sure if any of them will make a second appearance.
> 
> This chapter was another exercise in atmosphere, and I'm rather pleased by how it turned out...
> 
> Next chapter: The hunt continues
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	9. Mercurial Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You want it, too." Levi's breath was hot at Erwin's ear, side-eyeing the soft curve of his lips. "I know you do."
> 
> "I never denied it."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"You shoulda let me kill him."

"Absolutely not."

"He kills Titans--"

"We kill Titans."

"He's a drunk."

There was nothing Erwin could say to dispute that. 

It had been a waste, going to the Army base. Hannes had told them nothing, merely threatening Levi's life before the Titan had attacked. They'd been thrown out soon after, the dark-haired receptionist barely managing to hold the drunkard Commander back while the blonde woman shooed them off like stray dogs.

Now Levi was angry, the rage kicking in hard, setting his eyes ablaze.

For a long, tense moment, Erwin was silent, watching as Levi angrily paced up and down the dim alleyway they had taken shelter in. "You need to calm down, Levi," he eventually said, though that only earned him a dirty look. "I know that it's hard for you to be in a place like this, but--"

"No." It was a snarl. "You don't know ANYTHING, Erwin."

Erwin, of course, kept his cool, saying, "I think you may have mentioned that once or twice."

"I mean it!" If his last words were a snarl, these new ones were a howl: The cry of a starving wolf just on the safe side of desperation. "I'm starving, Erwin. Do you know how long it's been since I've eaten?"

"Before we left," the blonde said with a shrug of his shoulders, his brow furrowing in thought. "We had a bit of breakfast and--"

"I mean REALLY ate," was Levi's terse reply, his teeth bared as he spoke. "Not human food."

"Human flesh, you mean."

"Exactly."

To that, Erwin gave no answer.

"It's been months." There was hunger in Levi's eyes, burning brilliant behind already blazing gunmetal. "I can survive on sunlight; I don't NEED to eat to survive, but I feel like I'm gonna starve to death. And there's meat all around us, and I can't have so much as a nibble of it. Do you know what that's like, Erwin?"

"Of course I don't."

"Of course you don't." Those words were accompanied by a roll of glowing eyes. "You don't know everything, Erwin. You pretend to, but you just DON'T."

"I know all I need to know." It sounded arrogant, and Levi's responding glare was incredibly off-putting, but Erwin pressed on nonetheless. "I know that we have a serious mission here. I know that we're going to need to get some Shift in your system as soon as we can." Levi's face seemed to soften a bit at that. "And I know that I love you, and I'm not going to let you do something you'll regret."

Christ, he sounded so sincere. Sighing, Levi crossed his arms, meeting those too-blue eyes without a second's hesitation. 

"And that's something we both know," he was saying. "If you end up eating human flesh here, you'll regret it the moment you've swallowed it."

There was a moment of silence then, and Levi rolled his eyes again, though it was mostly for effect. "You suck."

At that, Erwin merely smiled, taking Levi's hand and pulling him out of the alley and into the crowded streets of the city. 

There were buildings everywhere, though most of them seemed to be teeming with a mixture of Titans and their prey, save the smallest of them. The charred remains of a news seller's stand would do, Erwin decided, and though Levi hung back a bit, they soon stepped inside. 

It was small, and the interior had been mostly burnt-out in a fire long-since past, but there was a relatively hole-free roof and a solid floor that had somehow escaped the waves of garbage that seemed to carpet the rest of the city. Yes, it would do just fine.

"It's filthy," was all Levi could bring himself to say, taking a seat on the hard ground and sliding the pack of his shoulders, watching as Erwin settled in the chair beside the counter. He wouldn't be able to stay upright once the Shift was in his system anyway.

"It's better than being outside," was Erwin's argument. 

It was true, of course, and Levi sighed, asking, "You gonna lock me in here, or are you actually gonna stay with me this time?" He pulled off his coat as he spoke, looking far too tempting already. It would be hard to resist him.

"I'm only giving you a small dose," Erwin said, pulling a small case from one of the pockets along the side of his bag. It held five syringes and the vial of Shift Petra had given them before their departure. "I'll stay with you, but you need to hold yourself back." Those too-blue eyes suddenly darted up to catch gunmetal, clearly pleased to see that the Titan-glow had faded considerably. "Do you think you can do that?"

"I'll try."

That was all Erwin could ask for.

One needle was soon removed from the kit, sucking up the liquid gold in the vial. It was set aside for a moment when Erwin moved in to loop a strip of elastic around Levi's arm, loving and hating the way the other shivered at the touch. As always, he was startlingly warm.

Soon, too soon, really, the needle was sliding into that pale skin, and Levi gave a hiss when it was removed, tossing an expectant look up at Erwin.

Nodding, the strip of elastic was undone, and Erwin scooted his chair back against the wall on the other side of the news stand. It only put a few feet of space between them, but it was the best he could do in such close quarters. 

On the other side of the dim little space, Levi was already breathing harshly, his dark eyes blown even darker.

"Levi...?"

"Hm?"

"Are you...?"

"I'm fine." Levi's voice was soft, breathy in a way that was far too alluring. His head was tipped back, eyes hooded, hands tugging restlessly at the belt loops of his jeans as he struggled to make himself comfortable. "Just feels really good."

Erwin did his best to ignore that, casting his eyes down and carefully tossing away the used syringe and replacing the golden vial and the elastic band in the kit.

"You look kinda terrified right now." That shadow had crept into Levi's voice already, deep and dark and so, so hungry.

"Do I?" It took all the gumption Erwin had to hide the urge racing through him to just pin Levi to the wall and fuck him senseless. They had done this a million and a half times, and he had yet to give in to temptation.

He would not give in.

It was tempting, of course. 

To finally hold Levi properly, to kiss him, to make love to him... Levi would never accept it being called that, but really...

To let Levi shift him over...

Levi was beginning to see it, too: Seeing all those little chinks in his armor and using them to his advantage. He'd always been good at that, even when he'd still been roaming the streets and the black markets with Farlan and Isabel.

Aloud, Erwin wondered, "How do you think they would have felt seeing you like this?"

Levi raised an eyebrow at that, his voice normalizing a bit when he asked, "'They?'"

"Farlan and Isabel."

The little brunette tensed up a bit at the mention of those names. They were a forbidden subject as far as he was concerned. "Don't talk about them."

"The three of you fought so hard to stay away from the virus, and then you threw yourself in and took the bite for me."

"Don't talk about them!" It came out on a snarl.

Of course, rage was better than lust.

"Do you regret it?"

"Taking the bite for you?" As soon as it had come on, the rage was gone. "No."

"Even with what happened to them?"

"You barely knew me, Levi."

"So what?"

"They were both furious about it," Erwin remembered, a wry smile coming over his face. "Throwing away your life for some soldier who meant absolutely nothing to you..."

"Izzy got over it eventually. She really liked you after a while, actually." Levi shrugged. "Farlan just..." He sighed, his eyes elsewhere. "He was stubborn, I guess. I really loved that about him."

Erwin's brow furrowed at that, and very softly, he found himself asking, "Do you still...?"

"You don't get over something like that."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I. And what I did to them..." Levi's eyes were shining, though the Titan-glow was long gone. "I regret losing control, and I hate that I did that to them, but I don't regret taking the bite for you. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Levi..."

"I would." The determination in those frigid eyes was nothing short of enchanting. "I love you, Erwin. You're all that matters. You know that."

"That's what worries me."

"I thought the fact that I want you is what worries you."

A wry smile came over Erwin's face at that. "I worry about a lot of things, actually."

"I know you do." Levi's smile was less wry and more downright wicked. "You worry because you want me as much as I want you."

Erwin didn't bother denying it.

"We don't have to be naked, y'know. We don't have to kiss or anything. I want to, obviously, but I'd settle for a good grind about now. It'd make you feel better, too, I bet. Relax a little, and..." He trailed off, eyes roving hungrily.

"Levi, you know--"

"That it'd feel really good?"

Erwin sighed: "That, too."

"Exactly."

And then Levi was on him, straddling his hips with strong thighs, warm and firm and far too close. That hot mouth was wandering already, trailing soft lips over the curve of his neck, pausing for a second to suckle at his Adam's-apple.

"You have any idea how gorgeous you are, Erwin?"

Oh, that voice was positively sinful, and Erwin found his hands drifting to trim hips, holding Levi still against him. "We can't--"

"Don't be scared." The words were whispered against Erwin's ear, forcing a shiver down his spine. "I don't wanna eat you or anything."

There was a sort of dryness to those words... "Do you--"

"I wanna fuck you, Erwin." Those eyes were hard to meet. "Don't wanna hurt you. Just..." He sighed, and the sound was too much too resist.

"Just this once." Difficult though it was, Erwin brought his eyes to meet Levi's, sliding his hands down along lithe thighs and pulling him closer, not an inch of space between them. "Clothes on, no kissing. We have to be careful."

"Understood."

Pale, lean arms wound around his neck then, and Erwin shivered, hips bucking, bringing a debilitating sigh past Levi's lips. 

Being so close was worrying, but at the same time...

Each roll of those lithe hips sent a wave of heat pouring along his spine, overwhelming in the best possible way. 

Levi was beautiful like this, panting and shivering, flushed clear down to his collarbones, his head tossed back, exposing the pale expanse of his throat, the throbbing of his pulse and the bobbing of his Adam's-apple near-irresistible. 

He'd already given into temptation, hadn't he?

Erwin leaned in then, his tongue sliding against sweat-slick skin, and Levi shuddered against him, arms tightening about broad shoulders, clinging close and rolling his hips down against the blonde's.

"C'mon..." It was a purr, vibrating through Levi's throat as his fingers moved to slide through golden locks, his eyes lingering on the other's parted lips. "You can do better than that."

"Can I?" Now Erwin was the one with the wicked little smirk, firm hands anchored against shifting hips, holding Levi still in his lap. "I thought you were the one who wanted this?"

"You want it, too." Levi's breath was hot at Erwin's ear, side-eyeing the soft curve of his lips. "I know you do."

"I never denied it."

"Good to know." Levi's lustful purr had dropped down into a hungry growl, his hips pressing hard against the other's, back arched, mouth slack. "It's been so long..."

"This is the closest we've ever been, isn't it?" Despite the desire in his tone, there was something distinctly melancholic in Erwin's voice. That voice dissolved away into a strained moan, though, when Levi's hand slid down along his chest, stroking them together as best he could through the layers of fabric between them. 

"Feel good?"

"Better than anything."

A shared moan passed between them then, and Levi hid his face against Erwin's shoulder, panting in his ear when he met his end, giving a lazy little smirk when the other shuddered beneath him, his name slipping past warm, soft lips. 

Oh, those lips…

"I wanna kiss you."

For a moment, Erwin was silent. 

Levi's eyes were still on him, wide and dark, and the reply was not what either of them wanted to hear, though it was all too familiar.

"We can't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I guess there was smut in this fic. Really wasn't planning on it, but Levi insisted. He's not the sort to be denied, I suppose
> 
> Farlan and Isabel also get a mention in this chapter, however brief it was. We'll hear more about them later on, I think. I just can't resist giving Levi a tragic backstory, I suppose... Maybe it was love, even. We'll just have to see. Honestly, since the ACWNR OVA, I think I've started shipping Levi and Farlan…
> 
> Next chapter: The search continues.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	10. Stubborn Asses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You were just some wild kid then..."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"I feel disgusting..."

Those words were little more than a sullen, indignant grumble, and Erwin felt a slight smile tug his lips upwards. 

It had been nearly an hour since Levi had come down, insistent on the fact that they had to clean themselves up immediately, and though they had, he still seemed displeased, crabbing on about how they had no way to wash laundry here and that he now smelled like sex and smoke, and that the smell only made the lust worse.

It was a front, Erwin knew. 

Levi was ecstatic, his eyes wide and bright, roving with curiosity and a strange newfound vigor as they searched the walled city. He was ALIVE. His fingers were warm when they laced with Erwin's, calloused and comforting.

"You don't look disgusting," the blonde said, that smile lingering on his lips as he pointedly refused to meet those piercing liquid-mercury eyes, lest he be overcome. It had been a mistake to let Levi talk him into finally giving in, but he felt no regret for it. Honestly, he wanted more. They had been together for so long; To finally be able to even go that far had been nothing short of a revelation. It was to be his ruin, Erwin was sure of it. He did his best to put those thoughts aside, though, adding, "You look beautiful."

"You always say that." Levi was smiling despite the slight derision in his voice, the sneer curling his lips.

"I mean it."

For a moment, Levi was silent. There was something warm in his eyes, something soft and incredibly out of place in the dingy grime of the city. "I know you do."

Somehow, those words were sorrowful, and Erwin felt his chest go tight in response, a sigh catching in his throat.

"Don't look at me like that." Levis voice was soft, his gaze downcast as they walked, trusting the other to lead him in the right direction.

Erwin raised an eyebrow at that, asking, "Don't look at you… How?"

"Like you're sad for me," Levi said, shrugging his shoulders. 

"I would never--"

"And don't lie to me, either." All too soon, the warmth was gone from his eyes, liquid silver going hard and icy in a second. "You don't need to be sorry for me, remember? We're gonna get all this Titan shit sorted out, and then we can be together. You promised."

"Levi..."

Levi rolled his eyes at that, asking, "Do you have any idea how often you say my name?"

"Do I say it all that often?" Erwin asked.

"All the fuckin' time!" It came out on a chuckle. 

"It feels good, though," Erwin said, smiling and shrugging. "For the longest time, you wouldn't tell me what it was... Do you remember that?"

"Of course."

"You were just some wild kid then..."

"Oh, please. I was as dangerous then as I am now."

"More so, I'd say," was Erwin's response, the words coming with a slight smile. "You've softened a bit. You were so rambunctious then..."

"I tried to kill you, Erwin." Even after all the years they'd spent together, Levi was still bothered by that. "I woulda been able to get Farlan and Isabel and I outta the Wall with the money Kenny woulda given me for killing you. And if you hadn't beat the shit outta me, I woulda done it. I'm surprised you didn't kill me for even trying."

"I forgot he was paying you for it..." Erwin huffed, a sound of amusement and old anger. "I'd forgotten all about him, actually."

"Lucky." Levi spat it like a curse. "You never lived inside the Wall, Erwin. You don't know how bad it was under him. You have no idea what it was like living in here."

"No, I don't."

"That's good, though." When Levi glanced up, his eyes were still bright, the ice melting away. The last vestiges of Shift were still working themselves through his blood stream. His voice was soft, though, nearly lost in the city-sounds around them. "You wouldn't be the man you are now if you'd've gone through something like that..."

"Would it really bother you so much if I were different?"

"Obviously," Levi said, smiling a bit, though he did his best to hide it. "I love YOU, not whoever you'd've been under different circumstances."

Erwin, for his part, made no effort to hide his own smile. "You're a lot sweeter than you let on, aren't you?"

"Oh, fuck you!" There was no venom in those words. "If you had been in the Wall beforehand, you'd've been a helluva lot colder. You wouldn't've stopped just 'cause you thought I was pretty. You'd've killed me for sure. That's all I meant." His tone was petulant, that of a child testing a boundary with a too-lenient parent.

"I wouldn't have killed you either way."

Again, Levi rolled his eyes. "That stupid love at first sight shit again?"

"Yes."

"You can't honestly believe you fell for me just by looking at me." 

"Why can't I?" Erwin asked, his eyes distant. He was seeing the past. "You're beautiful." It was the Levi of the past he was seeing. "Even then, starving and sickly and dangerous, you were absolutely gorgeous."

"Like I said, you only stopped 'cause you thought I was pretty." Levi sounded amused by that notion. "You just wanted to fuck me." 

So did Erwin, a soft chuckle bubbling up past his lips as he admitted, "At first, yes."

"What changed your mind?" Again, Levi's voice went quiet, nearly drowned out in the chatter of a group of glowing-eyed children as they ran past.

"I got to know you."

At that, Levi just sighed: "You're such a sap."

"Only where it concerns you."

And Levi smiled. "Good to know."

The silence that fell between them was far from true silence. All around them, Trost buzzed in the twilight. The Wall called the shadows early, painting the crumbling city in varying shades of violet and indigo and gray and all the gloomy colors in between. The glass-cased torches that acted as streetlights here did little to stave off the feeling of melancholy that was descending on the city. The morning's fog was returning, too, hiding in corners and creeping up from the gutters, bringing with it an odd sense of foreboding. 

Levi could feel it settling into his lungs, cool and wet and heavy and slightly disconcerting. 

"We need to find a place to sleep," Erwin suddenly said, tension clear in his voice. "There isn't room in the news stand, and we can't trust that woman enough to go back to the tea shop..."

"We need to find the kid," Levi disagreed, moving so that he was closer to the blonde's side. "That's more important, don'tya think?"

"Tomorrow," was Erwin's response.

"It's not like they have hotels here, y'know." When Erwin gave a slight sigh, Levi pulled him over to the other side of the street, to where a group of teenagers were mulling about a rust-covered barrel filled with burning garbage, warming themselves and talking and laughing. "Hey." His voice cut through their chatter instantly, a burning blade through crumpled newspaper.

And they scattered.

Well, all but two of them, though the human of the Titan/handler pair looked ready to flee. His eyes were wide and dark, darting about in search of an escape route.

The Titan, however, stood his ground, sharp amber eyes glowing slightly in the fading light, shimmering like liquid gold. He was far too beautiful to be human. "What do you want?" His voice was just on the safe side of a growl.

"Is there anywhere around here where we can stay the night?" Levi, of course, was the one to ask. "We aren't from around here."

The Titan's brow furrowed at that, and he sneered. "What's that mean, you're 'not from around here?'" His eyes were wandering over Levi's small form, taking him in, looking for any signs of weakness. "We haven't had any imports in years. They just kill us now."

"We're just passing through," was all Levi said, keenly aware of the other Titan's eyes on him.

"Oh!" At long last, the handler spoke, his voice sweet and soft, his face warm and open and so, so young. He seemed incredibly out of place in the dismal filth of the walled city. "You two are the new bounty hunters, aren't you?"

"You've heard of us?" Erwin was the one to ask, taking note of the tension suddenly showing itself in Levi's shoulders. "From who?"

"You went into Nanaba's tea shop earlier," the handler said, smiling far too warmly. "She's a sweet lady, but she's kind of a gossip... And the shop is always full of people, so…" He shrugged, looking just the slightest bit contrite. 

"We didn't tell her who we were," Levi said under his breath, his eyes darting nervously over the cracked concrete beneath his boots. "We didn't tell her anything."

"You don't HAVE to tell her anything," the handler said with a sympathetic smile, placing one hand on his Titan counterpart's arm to soothe that blazing amber glare. It worked. "She knows everyone inside the Wall. Besides, they're always sending new people in after Eren."

"Do you know where we can find him?" Levi asked next, taking a step forward, and the Titan boy shoved his handler behind him, growling low in his throat. Levi, though, simply rolled his eyes. "Do you know where he is, or don't you?"

"We don't," the handler said, his hands finding the Titan's shoulders, his dark, chocolaty eyes locking with molten gold. "It's okay, Jean. Calm down."

"You don't know them--"

"Neither do you. They won't hurt us. They're the same as we are." 

"Marco--"

"Look at them." The handler's voice was a strangely gentle thing. "What do you see?"

For a long moment, the Titan was silent, huffing a bit when he conceded, "A Titan and his handler."

"You see?" Gold and chocolate locked for an instant, a million words passing unspoken in mere seconds. "They're just like us." The dark-haired handler gave a dazzling smile when his counterpart relaxed again. "It's okay," he said again. At long last, he turned back to Levi and Erwin saying, "Just don't hurt him, all right?"

"Eren, you mean?" Erwin asked.

The handler nodded. "He's a friend. Please don't hurt him. So many of the other hunters have hurt him..."

"That's why they never make it out," the Titan boy kicked in.

"He doesn't do well with violence," the handler said, looking rather worried as he spoke. When his eyes locked with Levi's, it was apparent that it was his and Erwin's safety that concerned him. "The best way to approach someone like Eren is to be really careful."

"We'll be careful," Levi agreed. He meant it. 

"It's not like you'll actually find him, though," the boy Titan said, something smug in his eyes. "He's not as stupid as he pretends to be. He's too smart to let himself get caught again. Threw his lot in with the King, I heard."

"He's with the King?"

"Could be." The Titan shrugged his shoulders, and his handler's hands fell away. "Even if you do find him, he's a stubborn ass. Good luck getting him to cooperate."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Jean, I'm sure YOU totally have the room to call other people stubborn asses. Anyway, as you can see, I added Jean and Marco into the story. Just a cameo, I think, but I love those two too much not to involve them. They're friends of Eren's, but not really members of the circle he runs with now...
> 
> Also, I've kinda worked ACWNR into Levi and Erwin's past... The idea of Levi being some street rat is far too appealing :P Plus I like the idea of the boys kinda-sorta hating each other at first. Makes things a bit more interesting. That and Kenny. He's a scary fucker...
> 
> Oh, and there's a lotta dialogue in this chapter, too, and I apologize, but I'd rather have the boys speak of their backstory than me tell it to you. It seems... Cheap, I guess, to have me tell it instead of them...
> 
> Next chapter: Shelter.


	11. Stohess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's dirty look did nothing to quell Erwin's concern, and he soon sighed, a heavy, forlorn sound. "I belong in here, Erwin. I'm a Titan. Even if I get treated, I'm prob'ly gonna end up like that Rico woman, or worse. Do yourself a favor and leave me here."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

Shiganshina was dangerous at night, it was known.

Trost, though...

Trost was different.

During the day, Trost was cool and imposing and strangely distant, but at night it was a different city entirely. 

The young and the wild and the homeless came out in droves at night: Humans seeking Titan lovers and subsequent infection, Titans themselves seeking prey, children seeking food and shelter, the entire food chain roaming the streets.

"We need to find somewhere to sleep," Erwin was saying, his voice low, nearly drowned out by the city-sounds bubbling all around them. 

"YOU need to find somewhere to sleep," was Levi's reply, his silvery eyes drifting and taking in the midnight-black air and the glimmer of the concrete under the torchlights and the infinite variety of beings bustling about. "I don't need to sleep."

"I'm not letting you roam around at night." There was something almost fatherly in Erwin's voice, and Levi rolled his eyes. "Especially not alone."

"I'm not a child, Erwin."

"I'm well aware of that."

"But you won't let me go off on my own. You scared of sleeping by yourself?"

"I'm worried about you, Levi." Oh, so that was it. Honestly, it didn't come as much of a surprise. Erwin was always worried about one thing or another. Or, more often, he was worried about one thing AND another. He worried too much. "It's not good for you, being around all these other Titans, being around all these humans who actually WANT to be infected."

"Don't want me to do something I'm gonna regret?" It was touching, in an annoying sort of way. 

"Exactly."

To that, Levi sighed. "You need to stop worrying about me so much," was all he had to say, and there was a sort of sorrow in his voice as he spoke, his eyes downcast.

"I worried about you before I even knew you," Erwin countered, reaching down to slide calloused fingers along the curve of Levi's jaw. "That's not really something I can do."

"Guess not..."

"What's been going on with you lately, Levi?" That loving tone was back, and the smaller man winced. That tone hurt. "Since we entered the city, something's been... Off. What's wrong?"

"Just thinking."

"About?"

Levi's dirty look did nothing to quell Erwin's concern, and he soon sighed, a heavy, forlorn sound. "I belong in here, Erwin. I'm a Titan. Even if I get treated, I'm prob'ly gonna end up like that Rico woman, or worse. Do yourself a favor and leave me here."

"That isn't an option." Erwin's tone was absolute now, unwavering. He almost sounded like Colonel Smith again. "We're going to find a place to sleep for the night, and you're going to get some rest. We'll find the boy, get out of the Wall, and go back home with you as a human. Is that understood?"

Again, Levi rolled his eyes. "You know--"

"Is that understood?"

A begrudging smile came over Levi's face at that, and he replied, "Yes, sir."

"Good." Erwin's smile was far more relaxed, and he draped one arm around Levi's waist as they took to the streets again. 

The thoroughfares of Trost were teeming with life, wild boys and scantily-clad girls darting from the light of one torch to the other. Titans were hunting amongst them, though far too many of them were entirely willing. 

"I think we'd be better off closer to the Wall," Erwin said. "The closer we are to the Wall, the farther we are from the heart of the city, and the farther we should be from the other Titans."

"Sounds like a plan."

And so they went, heading farther and farther from the gate and their only path of escape, cutting through the heart of the city. The farther they moved from the heart, though, the darker the night seemed to get. The torches grew less frequent, the sounds quieter, more suspicious. Both men seemed edgier the further they went.

Soon, the other side of the Wall became visible, a black barrier behind the few buildings that remained this far out. While still a city, life had dwindled here to a few straggling homeless and a few nonessential establishments.

The highlight of the area seemed to be a museum. 

It was an imposing building, all carved of gray-veined white marble, the front lined with Roman columns and guarded by a pair of massive marble lions. The ivy that climbed up the guardians and the cracking walls had even managed to weave itself into the blackened windows. It must have been beautiful in its heyday, Erwin thought, though it had fallen into ruin since the outbreak. He didn't recall seeing it during his days inside the Wall. Of course, he hadn't had much time for sightseeing...

"It LOOKS abandoned, at least." Levi sounded strangely hesitant. 

"That it does." Erwin, too, was rather worried.

The rumble of thunder above them agreed, though the smell of rain wasn't strong enough to imply a true storm. A sprinkling was all Levi could imagine would come with the thunderous noise. Even so...

"C'mon." Levi was the one to speak, the one to take the first step, the one to grab Erwin's hand and draw him up the mildewed stairs of the crumbling museum. 

The inside of the museum-- Called Stohess, according to the worn bronze plaque at the front entrance --was as desolate and destroyed as the outside. It was mostly a wall-less structure, open and airy and far too difficult to defend. There was no way anyone could safely live here.

Defenseless as it was, it would have to do. It was the only place they'd come across that was not already occupied. What choice did they have?

Crunching through the carpet of rotting leaves on the museum floor, Levi and Erwin made their way further into the building, further into the thick, inky gloom.

Though the darkness was complete, the silence was not. 

The further into the museum they went, the louder the sounds got: The chattering of people, laughter, the crackling of flames as they danced along the marble walls.

There were people here, that much was certain, though whether they were allies or enemies...

"You wanna risk talking to 'em?" Levi's voice was less than a whisper.

"No." Erwin took a step backwards then, saying, "Let's go, Levi. We'll find someplace else to sleep. Outside, if need be. We can't risk being caught."

"But you already are."

Levi took to the defense of his mate instantly, blocking the female Titan's path to him.

She had a wild look about her, lean and lithe, all freckled golden skin and amber eyes and jet hair. Her victorious smirk set him on edge more than the scent of blood that seemed to roll off her in waves, barely covered by the smoke coming off the torch she carried. 

"Who are you?" Levi's voice was a low growl, his tiny body taut and tense as he stood between Erwin and the strange, wild woman as she approached them. 

"Name's Ymir." Her glowing molten-gold eyes traveled as she spoke, locking with blazing silver for a moment before moving on to bright-sky-blue. "And you two are...?"

Levi's silence seemed to annoy her.

"What are your names?" she asked again, something in her face, in her voice darkening.

"My name is Erwin," the taller of the men said, though he was clearly hesitant to reveal his identity. "This is Levi."

"Erwin and Levi..." Her eyes were soon roving again, darting from one man to the other now, though she soon settled her eyes on the blonde, and she asked, "You're human, aren't you, Erwin?"

The way she said Erwin's name drew a growl from Levi's throat: She spat it like a curse. 

Again, Erwin hesitated to answer, though he eventually managed to force out, "I am."

"Thought so. You smell too good to be a Titan." When she took another step closer, Levi and Erwin both stepped away, Levi still playing the defender. "There's no rage on you," she said, "it's all coming from him. I can't place you, though." Those golden eyes gave a sweep from Erwin's head to his feet, then back up again. "Something like justice, I think. Something like duty. You smell like a soldier." Ymir turned her back then, though her eyes remained locked with Erwin's. "This way."

Levi was the next one to speak, asking, "Where are you taking us?" 

Ymir, of course, did not answer.

They moved deeper into the museum then, following their guide past several dark, cavernous, empty rooms and one lone room where a group of young people were seated around a fire burning on the marble of the floor. 

They totaled four, plus Ymir herself... The odds were at five to two, at the very least. They were too far outnumbered to fight. What choice did they have but to follow?

The tension was showing in the set of Erwin's jaw, in the ice of Levi's eyes. 

Ymir, for her part, seemed amused by that, saying, "You're lookin' kinda constipated there, guys."

At that, Levi growled, and Ymir merely rolled her eyes. 

Silence fell then, thick and syrupy, slowing time even as they walked, and Erwin was the one to break it, asking, "How can you live safely in a place like this? It's so easy to get into..."

"Everyone else is too afraid to come here," was the answer, the words accompanied by a far too nonchalant shrug. "This place is forbidden."

"Is that so?"

"Yep." Ymir glanced at them over her shoulder, a wolfish grin overtaking her face. "You'll see soon enough."

It was a bit eerie, this deep into the museum. It was too dark, the silence ringing loudly in Levi's ears, though he would never admit to it. Ymir's torch only illuminated a few feet around them, showing off the big empty rooms to either side, highlighting the shadows that danced within them.

During his childhood, Levi had seen Stohess on a few occasions, though those occasions were few and far between. As a little boy, he'd dreamt of making a fortune selling the paintings he'd imagined stealing from this place. It all seemed so long ago...

Disrepair had hit the museum hard, and it was understandable that it no longer drew the crowds it had in its golden days. 

Still, for it to be forbidden...

There was more to this place than met the eye, that much was obvious. 

They had to be nearing the back of the building by now, their footsteps echoing against the marble walls as they moved, stopping just outside a pair of thick wooden doors. They were cherry wood, Erwin thought, stained dark and carved with scrollwork, the varnish dull and darkened with age. Worn though they, they were lovely.

"She's waiting for you."

That was all Ymir said before she pushed those lovely doors open.

This room seemed to be the largest of all those they had passed, a long, narrow room with walls lined by a multitude of torches, leaving it bright as day. There was a long crimson carpet running the length of the floor, starting at the door and spanning all the way to the back of the room. Placed at the edge of carpet, backed up against the far wall, was a chair-- No. It was a throne. Carved all of old, gnarled wood, its back stood proud and tall and twisted, dark and intimidating and beautiful.

Seated in the chair was a young woman, her golden hair loose about her shoulders, her eyes glowing shards of blue diamond.

Levi and Erwin both prayed that the glowing of her eyes was merely the glimmer of the torchlights, though they both knew better.

"Welcome," she said, her smile radiant. She stood, tinier even than Levi, though there was a strange sort of strength to her presence, the dignity and pride of an ancient monarch. "My name is Historia. I am the King Inside the Wall."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of plot development in this chapter, yes. Also, much angst. Always good. Anyway, the meeting of Levi and Erwin with the King is a turning point in the storyline. Oh, and Ymir. I adore her. Such a babe~
> 
> There will be more characters introduced in the next chapter, too, so keep an eye open! 
> 
> Also, though the content of the song is completely unrelated to the story in reference to subject matter, I've really come to love Susanne Sundfør's song The Brothel. It's the best piece of mood-music I have for this fic, though I can't really place why. Something about the atmosphere, I think. I need to make a playlist for this fic, I think... Now if only I knew how to do the 8tracks thing...
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	12. The Black and The Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The boy is MINE," Historia said next, her voice icy. "If you want him, you'll have to take him by force."
> 
> "Then we'll take him by force."
> 
> At that, a deranged little giggle slipped by the King's lips. "Well, you're certainly welcome to try."
> 
> Oh, but a warning: Graphic animal violence in this chapter. For that, I am sorry.
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"You come into my kingdom without so much as an announcement, searching for a boy who is my property, and has been for years. You come into my palace uninvited with the intention of robbing me of that property..." The eyes of the King were shimmering cobalt ice, and she clicked her tongue irritably. "You've been very rude."

"Yeah, and you've been a fantastic host," was Levi's counter, and Historia's gaze found his, glow fighting glow, silver on blue. 

"The boy is MINE," she said next, her voice icy. "If you want him, you'll have to take him by force."

"Then we'll take him by force."

At that, a deranged little giggle slipped by Historia's lips. "Well, you're certainly welcome to try."

"And we will."

"I look forward to it."

At long last, Erwin stepped in, saying, "Historia, the boy has a price on--"

"My King," Ymir interrupted, her eyes going from burnished bronze to molten gold, protective. "Show a li'l respect."

"My King," Erwin agreed, though he could barely restrain the derision in his tone. If Historia noticed, she didn't press the issue. "The boy has a price on his head."

"Then that price is my property as well," the self-styled King said with a nonchalant shrug of narrow, silk-clad shoulders. 

"You would have no interest in that price, I'm sure."

"Oh?" Historia gave a wave of her hand then, dismissive, flopping back down onto her makeshift throne with surprising dispassion. "You're probably right. Money is of no interest here, I'll have you know. Inside the Wall, we trade; We don't buy."

"And who is this 'we?'" Erwin asked, cautious and careful.

"Why, the Titans, of course! The best coin isn't coin at all, but goods." Her eyes found Ymir's then, warmer. "Goods and a fearsome reputation. If enough people fear you, you can have whatever you want for a very low price. And you won't find a single person inside the Wall, human, Titan or otherwise, who doesn't fear the very sound of my name."

Erwin wanted to think it all bluster, all an empty boast, but he got the distinct feeling that it wasn't, and his intuition was rarely wrong. There was an air of madness around this girl King, and he had no doubt that she was as feared as she claimed to be. Worse still, she was as feared as she claimed to be with good reason.

"And why would anyone be afraid of you?" Levi, of course, was the one to ask, his voice frigid, the faintest hints of the Titan-glow still backlighting his eyes. His words came on a sneer. "You're just a little girl..."

"'Just a little girl?'" There was that sick little giggle again. 

"The King is hollow," Ymir said, the sharpness of her voice echoing against the chamber's marble walls.

"She looks pretty solid to me."

"She's empty, like the Wall itself." Ymir sounded nothing short of reverent then, and there was something very, very wrong about that. Ymir was not a respectful woman, that much was clear, and for her to be so worshipful towards such a little thing as Historia… "The King is the Wall, and the escape from the Wall."

"The fuck's that mean?" Levi's brow was furrowed, his confusion apparent, though he did his best to mask it with agitation. It wasn't a convincing cover.

"You'll see," was all the taller of the she-Titans had to say. 

Shifting his gaze over to Historia, Levi asked, "How does a woman even manage to become King in a place like this?"

"It was no easy task, I'll admit," Historia admitted, her voice soft and wistful, her eyes distant. "Many people died fighting that war, Titans and humans, soldiers and nobles and beggars and everyone in between..."

"There was a war?" Levi asked next.

At that, Historia sighed, sounding immensely weary, an old king who had spent his entire life fighting to maintain his crown. "There's always a war."

"But there're bigger, badder Titans than you out there, yeah?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh?" Levi wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

Historia's smile was serene now: "Of course there aren't." Again, she waved her hand. "You two can stay here for the time being, if you'd like. You won't get the boy, of course, but maybe I can give you something of more interest." Again, her eyes met with Ymir's, and she said to the other she-Titan, "Get Reiner and bring the gold and the black. I'm in the mood for a little gore."

And then Ymir was gone, and the silence she left behind rang.

"Historia--"

Historia interrupted by clearing her throat, and Levi rolled his eyes.

"Your pretentiousness," he began. "Do you--"

"You're lucky Ymir isn't here," the King said, her voice going cold, her eyes quickly following suit. "She wouldn't take well to you speaking to me like that."

"The King can't defend herself?" Dangerous as it was, Levi sounded amused.

"You just aren't worth my time."

The Titan-glow blazed up instantly, turning frozen gunmetal to liquid mercury in seconds. That flash was only extinguished by Erwin's hand touching the dark-haired man's shoulder, by Erwin's voice urging, soft and strong, "Don't." 

"You two have a dynamic." Historia sounded almost bored. "It's rather sweet."

"Fuck you." It came out more as a snarl than anything human.

"Levi, that's enough."

"Erwin, you--"

Erwin was having none of it: "Enough."

"You should listen to him," the King said, smiling too tranquilly, her eyes vacant. "You wouldn't want to make your King angry now, would you?"

"You're no king of mine."

"There is no other king," was all Historia had to say, the tone of finality in her voice almost startling.

"There was once." Something in Historia's placid façade seemed to crack at that, the mask slipping. "Kenny Ackerman." That name sent a scowl scurrying across the King's face for a moment. "What did you do with him?"

"Oh, Kenny?" And the mask was back. "He's… Around." The king shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Death seemed too gentle a fate for a man like him."

"You're right about that, at least." Levi was clearly loathe to admit it, if his averted eyes were any indication.

"Of course I am." Historia glance up at the wide doorway them, just as Ymir and a tall, muscular blonde entered the throne room, two great beasts leashed and following close behind them.

The lead in the male Titan's hand was looped around the neck of a lion. Tall and strong-looking it was, its golden fur shimmering in the torchlight, its mane a halo of carved amber framing a stout muzzle and sharp fangs and a piercing sky-colored gaze.

With Ymir came a slender black panther, padding silently along the floor, a beast of jet and ebony and onyx, its eyes pale silver twinkling with an otherworldly glow. 

Erwin's brow furrowed at the sight of the two great cats, and he asked, "Are they...?"

"Of course!"

"How have you domesticated them?" Erwin asked next, keenly aware of the long, savage growl drawing itself from the throat of the little Titan at his side. 

"It wasn't that hard," the King said, shrugging, the indigo silk of her kimono-like gown slipping from one shoulder, revealing the multitude of bite-shaped scars marring her perfectly pale skin. "There isn't one living thing you can't beat into submission if you try hard enough."

"That's not true." There was a secret in Levi's voice, though Historia didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Tomorrow night," she said, "there's to be a feast in honor of you two, our guests. It's been so long since we've had Outsiders here… Besides, it's only proper. As for tonight..." Her eyes swept over the lion and the panther, and she nodded her head to the Titans holding onto them. 

The leashes were slipped from the beasts' necks then, and they simply stared at each other, blazing sapphire eyes locking with frigid silver.

"I hope you two are in the mood for a show!" The King's smile was a lighthouse, blinding and brilliant, drawing all those into her. She was lovely, there was no denying it. "These two are our best performers, you know." Her tanzanite gaze turned to the other female, and she asked, "Ymir, would you start them off, please?"

"'Course." The whip flashed lightning quick in the she-Titan's hand, the metal tip slicing along the lion's hind end, and the beast gave a deep growl, swiping at Ymir for an instant before it turned to slash its dagger-sharp claws across the panther's side, the wounds sizzling and giving way to a great plume of steam.

"Stop it!" But Levi's protest was drowned out by the sound of the beasts' snarls and growls, and when he moved to intervene, Erwin held him back. "What're you--"

"They'll kill you."

"We can't just let 'em--"

"We don't have a choice." Erwin's voice was frigid. "Look away, Levi. That's all we can do."

And so he did, squeezing he blonde's hand and studying the swirls in the marble beneath his boots.

The black was still for a moment, giving itself time to heal before it attacked, claws flashing, catching one sky-colored eye and sending a gush of rubies out over the marble floor, screaming wildly, a nearly human sound.

A pained roar escaped the lion at that, and it curled in on itself, growling low in its throat as it recovered, its blood evaporating from the floor in mere seconds.

The scent was cloying, warm and coppery and far too tempting, and Levi squeezed Erwin's hand tighter, his breath coming faster, the hunger welling up inside him. He was disgusted with himself, but it couldn't be helped. 

Climbing to its feet, the lion crouched, rolling its shoulders, preparing to lunge.

The panther was quicker.

It pounced, though it was unable to avoid the lion's defensive swipe, and it found itself pinned beneath the larger cat, its head held sidelong to the floor by one massive golden paw, writhing and snarling, thrashing its head from side to side as best as it could in its current position.

In a flash, its head was loose, and its fangs were buried in the other's throat, ripping fur and flesh to shreds, spilling thick crimson over the both of them, steam rising from the wounds.

Soon, the lion fell aside, gurgling weakly in its throat, and the panther was upon it, fangs slicing into the steaming body, tearing chunks of flesh and bone loose. 

It was almost beautiful in its grotesquery, Erwin decided, though Levi's disgust was obvious. 

"You people are monsters," was all the brunette had to say on the subject. His eyes were aglow.

"Mm." Historia seemed pleased with that, her eyes dark when they found Ymir's once more. Her words, though, were obviously intended for her so-called guests. "You can sleep wherever you like, just stay within the compound."

"If we wanna leave," Levi snarled, "we--"

"Will be hunted down," Historia said, sinking further into her throne, legs spread, the fabric of her gown parting to reveal one milky thigh. "Don't leave the compound. Reiner, see them to one of the rooms. I don't care which."

"And them?" the blonde asked, jerking his chin toward the black panther where it lay devouring the mass of steaming, bloody flesh that had once been the golden lion.

"Leave them."

"Understood." He turned to Levi and Erwin then, gesturing them out.

As they left, Levi glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Ymir kneel before the throne, the King's fingers sliding into her hair, blue eyes dark and lustful. The King was hungry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi's got some seriously sassy-pants on in this chapter. And Historia is just... Empty. I find her far more interesting than her Christa persona, at least. Hoping she's not terribly OOC, though she's becoming pretty... Cracked, I suppose, if the recent manga chapters are any indication...
> 
> Oh, but the beasts... See the symbolism there? I usually don't care much for that sorta thing, but it felt fitting in this instance, so I ran with it. Also, I'm really sorry for the animal-on-animal violence. I've never written anything like that, and I probably (Hopefully) never will again. But the symbolism was too ripe not to include it
> 
> I see Levi as an animal lover. Animals are dirty, yes, but it's not their fault, and the way he's been portrayed with his horse, I think he'd be pretty upset over something like the battle between the beasts...
> 
> On a lighter note, as I'm sure you probably guessed, Reiner will be back in later chapters, along with a few characters he's known to hang around with, though I won't name names. In the next chapter, though, there is a very, VERY important character joining the cast. Maybe you know the one? ;)
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	13. Deviant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You were a soldier?" the boy asked. He didn't sound impressed.
> 
> "Yes." The curiosity in those eyes couldn't-- And wouldn't --be denied. "I was one of the soldiers sent in to put down those who had been infected."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

Dawn was breaking outside the Wall, tossing a handful of rubies and carnelian and golden coins into the world, though so few in the world were awake to gather them. As always, its immense beauty went all but unnoticed, save the few paranoid, strung-out Shift junkies who had refused to sleep the night before. They, of course, had no appreciation for it, either. 

Inside the Wall, there was no sunrise at all. 

The inner world was yet dark, midnight-blue air hanging heavily, still tinged with the previous night's creeping fog. It would not dissipate until the sun finally peeked over the Wall itself, and that would be hours yet.

"They don't get sunrises here." Levi's voice was soft in the darkness, his eyes cast out onto the museum's overgrown, glass-walled courtyard.

Reiner had at least had the grace to allow them to pick their own room during their "stay." The courtyard wasn't too far from the heart of Stohess, and it wouldn't be terribly difficult to get around with such a base. Its openness made it a poor place to hide, yes, though, at the very least, they could see all around their little camp. No one could possibly sneak up on them in a place like this.

Besides, the view was nice.

The courtyard itself was rather small, home to a little algae-infested koi pond, the green surface of the water mostly covered over the lily pads and a few of their flowers. There had been a little round bridge of that pond once, though the center of it had collapsed into the water some years ago. The tree standing over the pond appeared to be a birch, though the branches were spindly and bare, occupied only by a dozen or so wild-eyed ravens. The yellowed ornamental grasses covering the yard were at least knee-high, in desperate need of a good trimming, and every so often, they would rustle, despite the utter lack of wind within the Wall. Erwin didn't want to know what was rustling about out there, resigning himself to be grateful for the wall of glass between he and Levi and the little wilderness just outside their makeshift bedroom.

"When d'you think we'll finally see the sun?" There was a strong tone of melancholy to Levi's voice. He fit perfectly into the pre-dawn gloom, the lantern between them casting shadows over his face, washing his skin bone-pale, mercurial eyes glittering. "It should be up by now outside, right?"

"It should be, yes." Taking a nibble from one of the apples hidden in his pack, Erwin turned his eyes up, gazing at the star-dotted sky through the massive hole in the roof of their room. It had started to lighten a bit, going pinkish around one of the edges, sending out fresh stars around the edges of the hole: Glass. There had once been a panel there, though judging by the tiny pieces of glass stomped into dust on the floor, that had been long, long ago. "But considering the height of Wall..." He trailed off then, eyes roving. He couldn't see the Wall itself at the moment but... "As high as it is, I'd say we'll actually be able to see the sun at around ten a.m., I think."

"Are they trying to starve us?"

There was a pause, and then an unsure, "That's a distinct possibility, yes."

A smirk grew over Levi's face then, and he said, "You're looking a little lost there, Erwin."

"Am I?" Erwin's smile was a shy thing, bashful and soft. He was playing the fool, clearly, but Levi couldn't find it in himself to fault him for it.

Instead, he gave a smile of his own. "Yep."

"Well, you really only NEED a few hours of sunlight, don't you?"

"They're limiting it, though," was Levi's reply, his smile and Erwin's both fading away. "The Wall's so high we only get the few hours of sunlight we need to survive."

"The builders never mentioned that when the Wall was going up..." Still, the theory was worth consideration. 

"Doesn't mean they weren't thinking about it," Levi said, his gaze going sharp. "Has the government ever told the truth about anything?" He didn't wait for the other to offer a response. "They're trying to keep the Titans weak, I think."

"It's rather clever, actually."

That just got Erwin a dirty look.

"It's funny, though," he said, his voice light, still playing at that softness that seemed to give Levi at least a little solace, though it proved to be of less effect this time, "given the need for light that some of you are so pale. I've never seen anyone as pale as you or Historia that was actually alive..."

"So you're saying I look like a corpse now?"

"A very beautiful one, yes."

For a moment, that glare remained, though it soon faded into another soft smile. "Nice save."

To that, Erwin merely gave a smile of his own.

It soon vanished when Levi said, "We need more information, Erwin."

"Have you ever known me to be the type to jump in blind?"

"True enough..." 

"Didn't you read over the information Jaeger gave us back at the hospital? There was practically a novel in all that paperwork."

"I read it, yeah, but it doesn't change anything. We need to know more about her and her little KINGDOM." That last word came out like a curse, spat out for the foulness of its taste. "Her subjects, and if they have any real loyalty to her, and if they do, why. And the layout of this so-called palace and the city itself…"

"And why's that?" Erwin got the feeling he already knew, and he hoped that, for once, his instincts were wrong. "If I remember correctly, our mission was to get Eren and Mikasa, and get out of the Wall before we got ourselves devoured by the King. Didn't Petra specifically tell us to avoid her?"

"She needs to be taken care of while we're here," Levi said, perhaps with a bit more force than was really necessary, "and you know it. Petra knew it, too. She wouldn't have mentioned the King if she didn't want us to come across her."

"She said to avoid her."

"She was baiting us." Levi rolled his eyes, unable to meet the blonde's, the fury welling up. "She does this all the time."

Erwin shook his head in disbelief. "To overthrow an entire government--"

There was a strange, dangerous eagerness in Levi's voice when he cut in to say, "Is something you've always wanted to do, yeah?"

For an instant, just an instant, there was a spark in Erwin's eyes.

He quickly doused it: "Absolutely not."

"Just leave it to me, then." The contempt in Levi's voice was apparent, his eyes as chilled as the autumnal air around them. "I'll take her out on my own, if that's what it takes."

"I won't make you go against her alone."

"I figured you wouldn't." There was something almost disdainful in Levi's voice as he watched the other stand, and there was the ghost of a mocking smirk lingering at the edges of his lips when he spoke again. "You're too NOBLE for that."

"Thank you." 

"It wasn't meant as a compliment." 

Nobility was lost on someone like Levi, it was true. Sacrifice was foolishness in his eyes, gallantry was overrated and chivalry pointless. He had softened a bit over the years, come to appreciate certain aspects of human decency, but outstanding acts of valor were simply not the sorts of things he had any interest in.

"I'm aware." Erwin did his best to keep the frost in his voice hidden.

"Where are you going?" Levi didn't sound terribly interested, though, choosing instead to watch the flames dancing in the oil lamp before him. He was lost. 

"I'm going to take a look around," the blonde replied, stopping at the door to glance at the other over his shoulder. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do while I'm gone, all right?"

That earned him a scoff, though at least it got a little smile blooming across Levi's face. 

He had been so somber since last night, so... Angry. The hunger was kicking in again, it seemed. He'd need more Shift before morning came again if he was to remain functional long enough for them to complete their mission. And now that that mission had been expanded to include plotting the downfall of the King Inside the Wall and her chaotic makeshift kingdom…

Putting those thoughts out of his head, Erwin headed out. 

The walls of the museum had long since been bared, leaving dark shadows on the walls where the old display pieces had been shown, shadows on the floor that had once been occupied by ornate rugs and trunks full of oddities. The marble swirled more thickly in those shadows, the blues shimmering and the grays glittering even in the murky darkness still shadowing the interior of the Wall. 

Stohess had once been a place of beauty, but those days were long past. 

As Erwin made his way down one of the myriad corridors branching out from the heart of the museum, the shadows seemed to be filling in.

It started as a few splatters of rust and crimson over the marble, contrasting beautifully with the blue and gray swirls of the stone, though the rust-colored stains soon gave way to metal in far better condition.

Lining the marbled walls were a number of weapons: Civil War era rifles, swords and spears, lances and daggers and pistols, and even a suit of gilded armor. They were most likely pulled from the storage area beneath the museum, Erwin figured, pieces that had been forgotten during the fall of Trost, during the construction of the Wall, all those years ago. 

A little farther down the same hall was another display, this one composed of glass-cased photographs and maps and old newspaper clippings arranged into a slightly haphazard timeline.

One of the newspaper clippings showed a photograph of three young men, the two blondes smiling victoriously while the group's lone brunette pouted, as he was wont to do. Erwin had that very same clipping back at the cabin. 

That had, of course, been years ago. 

Mike and Nile were gone now, he was sure of it. They had survived the first wave, but the second... By the time the second had come, Erwin had taken Levi and ran.

He had never expected the second coming.

No one had.

After the first wave had hit, the Army had thought they'd managed to beat it. The photo had been taken at a party, a raucous occasion to celebrate humanity's victory over the Titan virus. It was the calm before the real storm, the hurricane that would tear their world to shreds. 

They had all been so young, so innocent... 

The world had changed, though, and that innocence was forever lost, even in the children.

Even the children were beasts now. Even the--

"That's you in the photo, isn't it?"

Erwin whirled at that, turning to face the boy that had suddenly appeared at his side. 

Dark hair and caramel skin and eyes that shone blue and green all at once... He hadn't aged a day since the reference photo Dr. Jaeger gave them had been taken.

"Eren."

Those indescribable eyes darted over to photograph for a second, quickly finding Erwin again. "Isn't it you?" It was nearly impossible to meet those eyes. There was a strange sort of power in that gaze, something wild and fierce, and there was no denying it. "Sure looks like you."

"It's me."

"You were a soldier?" the boy asked. He didn't sound impressed. 

"Yes." The curiosity in those eyes couldn't-- And wouldn't --be denied. "I was one of the soldiers sent in to put down those who had been infected."

"First wave or second coming?" Eren inquired, curious and weary at once. He was distrustful, it seemed.

"First wave," was the answer. "I was AWOL by the second coming."

"You were an officer, though, yeah?" Eren seemed to be genuinely distressed by that. "Your uniform was one of the fancy ones..."

"I was a Colonel, yes."

"And you still left? That's cowardly."

Erwin's brow furrowed at that. "I had my reasons."

"Didn't wanna get infected?"

"No one did."

"But you're still human, aren't you?" The boy looked impressed, eyes roving. "You smell like a human."

"I am still human, yes. Someone I love took a bite for me to keep me from being infected."

For a moment, Eren seemed to be at a loss for words, those brilliant eyes wide. "That's very brave."

Erwin felt the same, his only response a soft, "Yes."

"Did you know I was one of the first?" Eren's eyes were distant now as he traced calloused fingertips over an old map of pre-fall Trost. The immense heat of him raised fog on the cool glass. "To be infected, I mean."

"I did." His father had said so in the thick stack of paperwork he had given them. "You were one of the first to be sent inside the Wall once it went up, as well, weren't you?"

"I came here on my own." The boy seemed almost offended by the notion of being forcibly shipped in, his brows drawing down, eyes blazing. "They didn't SEND me anywhere."

"Eren, listen to me, your father--"

"I still think it was the right choice, too, coming here. I know who you are, and I know what you want, and lemme just tell you now: You're not getting it."

And he stalked off.

This was going to be difficult. The offer of treatment might not be enough to get the kid to cooperate. Sighing, Erwin ran a hand through his hair, eyeing the boy's back as he retreated down the still-dim corridor. 

He was going to be stubborn, Erwin was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, like a few others, seems to be an exercise in atmosphere. That's all I write, you know: Dialogue and atmosphere. That needs to change, I think.
> 
> Ah, but there's no violence in this chapter, I'm pleased to say. That last chapter was rough... Instead, have a little fluff. After the last chapter, the boys deserve a little comfort, yeah? The hunger is getting to Levi, though... We'll have to see where it takes him... Maybe it'll take him to the boy Erwin just met…
> 
> Also, a character was introduced in this chapter who is of EXTREME importance. I cannot begin to stress how important sweet, stubborn little Eren is in this universe.
> 
> Oh, and I'm really fond of calling the second wave of the Titan virus the "second coming." There's a certain morbid ring to that, yeah? ;)
> 
> Next chapter: The King honors her guests with a feast.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	14. Come to Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking a seat in the chair, Levi pulled the journal into his lap, surveying the words written across the front, and the elegant, familiar hand they were written in. 
> 
> TROST: MID-FEBRUARY THROUGH LATE APRIL 2016, the cover read, the words scrawled in Grisha Jaeger's oddly graceful hand, though they had faded considerably with age, the dark ink bleeding into the darker leather, feathering out at the edges and smudging into what appeared to be blood. It smelled metallic.
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

After far, far too long, after what felt to Levi like eons, the sun finally appeared over the Wall, glaring white and pale gold down on the world.

It was nothing short of glorious.

Blessedly, there wasn't a cloud to be seen, the sky a perfect, unending blue, cloudless and shining. The color was familiar, though lately, Levi had seen it more often in Erwin's eyes than in the sky. Both versions of the color were worth basking in. It was a lovely color, after all.

For the longest time, Levi simply sat, silent and motionless in the golden pool of sunlight pouring in through the ragged, gaping hole in the roof. It felt good to be in the sun again. He had gone far too long without it, and it was beginning to affect him, the Titan-hunger growing while his patience slowly shrank away to nothing. 

It was madness, really. The hunger drove conscious thought out, leaving behind nothing but animal lust, both for flesh and for various other prizes. To be so hungry in Erwin's presence was dangerous. He couldn't hurt Erwin. HE COULDN'T. It had been ages since he'd last eaten, though, and the light was only a temporary fix for the hunger.

Stohess was a bright place, at least, airy and open, and he did eventually get his fill of it. By then, though, the air filtering into the building was cooling, dusty golden beams tinted with the slightest hint of blue-gray. It wouldn't be long before the sun vanished behind the Wall again. 

It was time to explore.

Levi stood then, stretching his arms over his head, back arched, standing on his toes, though it barely made him tall enough to reach Erwin's lips. Not that that mattered. The hunger had been temporarily forgotten, at least, replaced by a strangely eager curiosity. 

But he had to be cautious, especially in a place like this, surrounded by enemies.

Curiosity killed the cat, Kenny used to say, to which Levi would reply, but satisfaction brought him back. Kenny would just give that snarky little half-smile at that, one eyebrow cocked, and Levi would know that he was beaten.

He had been a wise man, Kenny, in an odd, off-kilter sort of way. 

Not that that mattered anymore. Kenny was most likely dead by now, killed by one of his too-numerous-to-count rivals or some rampaging handler-less Titan or the brutal girl-King during her takeover of the Wall. Maybe she'd even devoured him afterwards. 

She still smelled like him, though, the warm, familiar scent of his blood lingering on her skin and in her hair, the powdery odor of tobacco and gunpowder and smoke. There was a possibility that he was alive, then, though that was the last thing Levi wanted.

It didn't matter anyway, and Levi shook the thoughts from his head as he wandered the slowly dimming halls of the museum. 

He was no longer indebted to Kenny. He was no longer Kenny's property. He was his own man now.

No, that wasn't right. 

He was Erwin's. 

A handler was a handler in name only, all Titans knew that. Those who were properly registered with the government-- Before it had fallen apart, of course --were forcibly given an orientation of sorts to make sure that they knew exactly what they were in for as captives under the control of a handler. A handler was more an owner than a true handler, someone to care for and train and discipline their respective Titan if need be. 

Titans had their own end of the deal to hold up. In exchange for a life outside the Wall, a life with at least relative freedom, they took on a sort of guardian role all their own.

As a Titan, it was Levi's job to protect his handler, to protect Erwin come Hell or high water, or anything in between. He'd done a shit job if it so far, but he had no intention of giving it up. He loved Erwin too much to give it up.

He wasn't his own man, to be honest.

HE WAS ERWIN'S.

That thought, too, was pushed aside. Levi had a mission to accomplish, and it simply wouldn't do to stay lost in his own mind. There was too much work to be done in the real world to justify slipping into himself.

And so he found it in himself to leave his and Erwin's makeshift bedroom, taking a brief moment to glance over his shoulder into the glass-walled courtyard. Reiner was out there, talking with a tiny female Titan, another blonde, though instead of answering his questions, all she did was scowl. 

"I haven't seen him for days," the male was saying, his voice a low, rumbling growl, brows furrowed, looking surprisingly fierce. "Where could he be? It's not like him to wander off."

"I don't think he WANDERED anywhere. He's handler, not a Titan. Do you have any idea what they do to unaccompanied humans here?"

"Of course I do!"

"I think Historia did just that."

"We're her subjects, though," Reiner said, his voice softening, disturbed. "We serve her. We serve her loyally and without question, and she protects him for us. That was the deal."

"Are monarchs ever true to their word?"

To that, Reiner said nothing, though his clenched fists made it clear that he understood.

"You know how the King feels about humans," was all the tiny female had to say, giving a nonchalant shrug of narrow shoulders, and Reiner shook his head in response.

"She wouldn't, though, would she...?"

"I wouldn't put it past her." Blue met gold for a moment, and she asked, "Would you?"

That seemed to spark up the rage, and Reiner's eyes soon melted into liquid gold, blazing. "If she hurt him--"

"You'll keep being her little pet, like you always do." The female sounded outright disgusted by that, rolling her own icy eyes, unlit by even the slightest hint of rage. "It's kinda pathetic, really. Grow a pair, would you?"

And Reiner stormed off.

Unwilling to be caught up in that storm, Levi ignored them in favor of exploration. The old building was more interesting than they were, anyway. 

The corridors of the museum all lay straight, corners few and far between, with no curves to speak of. The building was just a massive rectangle, it seemed, the throne room at its back, the courtyard at its center, the other exhibition rooms centered around that little patch of yellow-green, though they were mostly open, only walled off by tall Roman-style columns. On the far left wall of the building was one of the two large doored-off rooms, though unlike the throne room, the doors to this one stood open. They were quite substantial, yes, reaching from the marbled floor to the cobwebby, smoke-stained ceiling, and carved with scrollwork, though they were far less ornate than the other pair.

Beyond those dusty doors lay a library.

It was a massive room, stretching from the front wall of the museum to the back, the walls themselves lined with shelf upon shelf, though a great many of those shelves sat empty or stacked with little antique baubles. The bit of wall space that wasn't hidden by shelves was covered in maps, both of Trost and elsewhere, and blueprints of the museum and the Wall and varying other structures looming over the city's skyline. There seemed to be a few books on the subject, too, though that really didn't come as much of a surprise.

Most of the remaining books were concentrated on the shelves lining the front-left corner of the room, where a large, worn, comfortable-looking chair sat, surrounded by a number of small tables, each stacked with candles and encyclopedias and autobiographies and old government Census records. A few of those books were even scattered over a Persian rug spread over the floor, a little reading lantern placed beside them.

Though these few were in good condition, as Levi ran his fingertips over the spines of the shelved tomes against the back wall, they came away grimy and disturbingly sticky. The smell of mold permeated the room, dusty and damp. He could not make out most of books' titles, and when he pulled one from the shelf to examine it further, it disintegrated in his hands, floating to ash.

Those ashes came to settle on a large shadow on the floor, where a rug once been, ten times the size of the little one the chair was seated upon.

Of the stacks of books beside said chair, an old field journal was kept the closest, balanced somewhat precariously on the rounded top of the arm. It seemed to be the most worn of the books, though it was nowhere near the oldest of them.

Taking a seat in the chair, Levi pulled the journal into his lap, surveying the words written across the front, and the elegant, familiar hand they were written in. 

TROST: MID-FEBRUARY THROUGH LATE APRIL 2016, the cover read, the words scrawled in Grisha Jaeger's oddly graceful hand, though they had faded considerably with age, the dark ink bleeding into the darker leather, feathering out at the edges and smudging into what appeared to be blood. It smelled metallic.

The worn journal documented the first few months of the virus' spread in Trost, the quarantine as it was put into effect, and Jaeger's attempts to treat those who had been infected by the Titan virus. All of those attempts had been nothing short of catastrophic, it seemed, though Jaeger didn't state it outright. The tone of melancholy in his words was proof enough of his failure.

One man, though, seemed determined to keep the attempts going: Rod Reiss, though whether he was a friend or simply a financier had yet to be explained.

Whoever he was, he had both the money and the motive to back Jaeger's project despite its myriad failures.

It wasn't until an old photo fell from between the yellowed pages of the journal, though, that Levi learned this Reiss man's motivation.

There were four people in the photo: A rather sallow man with thinning hair and an unremarkable face, a dull, grim-looking woman, a pretty teenage girl with long, dark hair and striking eyes, and a tiny blonde girl, holding the other girl's hand as she smiled shyly up at the camera.

Historia.

Rod Reiss was Historia's father, he had to be, though their eyes were the only thing he had in common with her, or with the dark-haired girl. The woman must have been his wife. 

This man, the King Inside the Wall's father, was Grisha Jaeger's sole sponsor, the one and only person who believed that finding a cure for the Titan virus was possible.

A microscope slide was taped onto the next page, a thin shaving of skin cells displayed between two pieces of glass. It belonged to the mother, if the photo of her writhing in agony taped below the slide was any indication. Jaeger had tried and failed to cure her, his notes said. Reiss had not lost faith in him. It seemed they were friends, after all.

A few pages later, another photo came, this one pasted onto the page. It showed the dark-haired girl, presumable the King's older sister, chained down to a shiny operating table, pale and sweaty and sickly-looking. Rod was at her side, petting her hair as Jaeger administered a now familiar blue-green liquid into her body.

FRIEDA, the caption said.

She, too, had been a failure, though she had lived longer post-treatment than her mother had. Even though the treatment had essentially made a vegetable of her, it was definitely seen as progress by Jaeger and his financier.

In the next photo, Historia stood close to a boy her own age, dark of hair and bright of eye, with skin the color of caramel, warm and soft and far too tempting. They seemed uncomfortable around each other, both looking away from the camera, red-faced and almost ashamed.

Eren had accompanied his father into the stricken city, it seemed. He hadn't aged a day since.

THE CHILDREN DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER, the caption said of them. It didn't come as a surprise. EREN WANTS MIKASA HERE. CAN'T RISK HER GETTING INFECTED. HE'LL BE LUCKY IF HE DOESN'T END UP WITH IT BY THE TIME WE TAKE OUR LEAVE.

The next page of the journal was a jumble of panicked scribbles.

EREN INFECTED. CONTRACTED FROM BITE ON HAND. ARMIN SHIFTED HIM. NEVER TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN BITTEN, DIDN'T WANT ARMIN BLAMED. STUPID BOY IS LOYAL TO A FAULT.

The weather was always cold in March, the date the entry was given, and hiding one's hands wouldn't have been terribly difficult, Levi supposed. He couldn't really blame Eren for hiding his infection, either, or for trying to protect Armin. He had done the same for Farlan.

THE GLOW IN HIS EYES-- THE HUNGER-- THE HEALING FACTOR-- THE STRENGTH-- THE ENHANCED SENSES-- HE SHOWS ALL THE SYMPTOMS. HE BIT HISTORIA, PASSED THE VIRUS ON TO HER. 

Oh.

FRIEDA LOST HER BATTLE WITH THE VIRUS, HISTORIA CANNOT POSSIBLY SURVIVE IT. BUT SHE MUST. I CANNOT LOSE HER. I WOULD LOSE ROD'S SUPPORT, AND I CANNOT LOST MY FUNDING, NOT SO CLOSE TO A BREAKTHROUGH. 

THIS IS FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

On the opposite page was another photograph, this one of Historia, her left shoulder and the side of neck, her throat, even part of her jaw torn to bloody shreds, the bones and muscle beneath pale skin all exposed, the wounds steaming as they healed. Her eyes already had the glow.

No wonder she didn't want to give Eren up: He was the one who had shifted her over. He was her maker, the one who had made her into a monster.

There were no more entries after that, just blank pages, though many of them were stained red or rust or blue-green.

Levi flipped the book closed, the fallen photo pressed between the pages, sliding it into the pocket sewn into the lining of the thin jacket he wore. He'd need to show Erwin.

It was too interesting not to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory! Much information is revealed in this chapter, I'm pleased to say. It's been a while since we learned anything of importance, I think. Not only do we get info on Titan-handler relationships, but we get some of Historia's backstory, plus a bit of Eren's and Levi's
> 
> I actually meant for this chapter to cover the next plot point, but it woulda been massive had I done that... I didn't get to cover my next advertised mark, but I'll definitely get to it next time
> 
> Oh, and don't forget about Reiner and Annie in the garden. They'll become... Somewhat important as the story progresses. Not very important, but somewhat. There's also another character whom I used to hate, but I now adore, who will be appearing in upcoming chapters. Perhaps you know of him? Hint: It's not Bertholdt, who Reiner and Annie were talking about…
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	15. Feast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The King wants to see you."
> 
> The voice was only the slightest bit familiar, and Levi glanced up from the book in his lap, a history of Trost pre-Titan. "What for?" He did nothing to hide the disdain in his voice.
> 
> "There's a feast tonight," the blonde she-Titan said, her eyes the bluest ice he had ever seen. "You and your pet are the guests of honor."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"The King wants to see you."

The voice was only the slightest bit familiar, and Levi glanced up from the book in his lap, a history of Trost pre-Titan. "What for?" He did nothing to hide the disdain in his voice.

"There's a feast tonight," the blonde she-Titan said, her eyes the bluest ice he had ever seen. "You and your pet are the guests of honor." 

"He's not my pet." There was anger in Levi's voice already, and he set the book upon the little stack of them on the side table.

"Then you're his," the she-Titan said with a shrug. "He drags you around on a leash, doesn't he?"

"He doesn't DRAG me anywhere."

"But you'd follow him anywhere." Her gaze was frigid, mocking. She was too much like him, and Levi found that immensely annoying. "And you'll follow me to the feast if you wanna see him. He's already there, y'know."

The thought of Erwin alone with the King was enough to propel Levi to his feet and, silent, grudging, he followed the other Titan from the library and down the hall, eventually stepping into the King's makeshift throne room.

A long table had been brought into the room, all scarred gray wood, the King's throne pulled to the head of it. At her left was Erwin, the seat at her right left open. Ymir seemed immensely irritated by that, and Levi allowed himself a slight smirk, quickly taking his seat.

In the corner of the room, a familiar black panther was leashed to the wall, a collar of heavy chain looped around its neck, tethered to a thick metal hook in the wall. All the chains would be useless is the beast truly wanted to escape. It seemed content for the moment, at least, gnawing on a human leg, its muzzle and whiskers flecked with blood. It didn't spare the rooms new entrants so much as a look.

All Historia gave them was an acknowledging nod, though she turned her gaze to the other female, saying, "Annie, bring the others. I'm feeling a little peckish."

And the other she-Titan was gone. 

"I'm so glad you two have decided to join me for supper." Historia sounded for all the world like a gracious hostess, though all in the room knew otherwise. "It's high-time we do this, don't you think? I've been terribly rude to ignore you..."

Truth be told, neither man minded being ignored by her. It was her sudden interest that was making them so tense, not her so-called rudeness.

Levi couldn't abide her being so close to Erwin, and he stood again, acutely aware of two pairs of brilliantly-blue eyes on him. "I'm switching seats," was all he had to say, crossing to the other side of the table, gesturing Erwin into the next chair, taking the seat the blonde had previously occupied. It wasn't much, but one chair's worth of room was enough to keep Erwin that much safer, and that was all that mattered.

Erwin's safety was all that mattered.

Erwin was all that mattered.

Though she eyed Levi suspiciously as she moved, Ymir quickly claimed her rightful place at the King's right hand. 

The other Titans soon appeared, filing into the room with Annie in the lead. Behind her came Reiner, and then--

Christ. The kid really was here.

Eren Jaeger was next in line, looking not a day older than the reference photo they had brought in. He was beautiful, young and lean, his eyes cutting deep, sea and sky and forest all at once.

Behind him came a woman in her mid-twenties, her waist-length hair shiny and black, her eyes a strange shimmering shade of gray, sunlight sparkling on concrete. Mikasa.

Eren went for the seat beside Ymir, though he was stopped by a gesture of the King's hand. "Eren," she said, her voice soft and sickly-sweet, "I want you at the other head of the table. Annie, Mikasa, you two on either side of him. Reiner, go fetch the food. You'll need help; Have the guards help."

Now it was Reiner's turn to disappear. 

"You have guards?" There was something like disbelief in Levi's voice.

"Of course! A palace has to have guards, doesn't it?"

"They're doing a pretty shitty job of guarding," Levi said, his eyes cold, "given Erwin and I got in with no problem..."

"They don't guard the palace itself," Historia said, taking a sip from the wine glass at her side. Its contents were a deep, dark red, thick, and the metallic smell it gave off was intoxicating. "They guard my daddy. I can't be with him all the time, unfortunately, so they keep watch over him when I can't."

"Your daddy?" The words came on a disgusted sneer.

"You'll meet him soon enough." The King gestured at the other Titans at the table, working around it counterclockwise. "You've met Ymir and Reiner already. The blonde at the end is Annie. At the other head of the table is Eren, though I'm sure you knew that already. And at his other side is Mikasa. She's human." Her gaze found the other Titans then. "My dears," she said to them, "this is Levi and Erwin." She gestured to them in turn as she spoke. "They'll be staying with us for a while."

None of the others gave any acknowledgment. 

Ignoring their disinterest, Historia clapped her hands together, smiling brightly. "We have a very special treat for you tonight," she was saying, though Levi found his attention focused at the other end of the table. 

The boy seemed aware of it, those brilliant eyes locking with gunmetal. 

There was something dark, something animalistic and hungry in those eyes... They boy wanted him.

It was strange to be looked at like that by someone other than Erwin, but that wasn't to say it was unpleasant. There was a sort of power in being looked at like that, and Levi adored it. Power wasn't something he often had.

At the boy's side, Mikasa was glaring. 

Levi simply glared back. She was going to complicate things, he thought.

Soon, Reiner returned, a silver platter balanced in each hand, two other Titans following with similar platters, all of them covered by silver dome lids. 

The two unnamed Titans looked familiar, one a tall blonde, the other a surly-looking brunette, and both froze, eyes on Erwin.

He, too, was frozen. 

He knew them, knew their faces, their voices, their life stories, though he dared not name them, even in the privacy of his own mind. He knew sound of their laughter, their smiles, their determination. It couldn't be them. 

It just couldn't.

"Well?" Historia sounded impatient, and the platters were soon placed down on the table, and the two unnamed Titans soon left, though the blonde lingered at the door, brow furrowed, his eyes still on Erwin, that familiar unnamable shade of golden blue-green. 

The largest of the trays had been placed before Historia, and she pulled it closer, folding her hands atop it, resting her chin atop her hands. "Go on!" It almost sounded too sweet to be a command, though it was treated as one nonetheless.

Levi was the first to act, bold as ever, lifting the lid of the platter to reveal a human's right arm, long and gangly, pale. It appeared to have been ripped off. Erwin's tray held its match, though it was missing its hand.

Next was Eren, his platter concealing a long leg. At his side, Mikasa recoiled, looking grateful that she hadn't been gifted with one of the platters.

Ymir's tray held a hand clutching at a scrap of fabric, Reiner's a tongue, swollen and purple.

"Go on, Annie." Something in Historia's voice was wicked, hinting at peril, and the other blonde she-Titan hesitated. Eren reached out to hold her hand. "Yours is special."

Taking a moment to steady herself, Annie did as she was told, a gasp hitching in her throat.

A human heart sat on the silvery tray, still oozing blood. It was fresh.

"Bert..." It was nearly a sob.

Historia's smile was brilliant when her gaze found Levi and Erwin again. She lifted the lid from her tray then, revealing a human head with an apple stuck in its mouth. The eyes were wide and black, pale and horror-stricken. That expression seemed strangely appropriate. "This is Bertholdt," she said, stroking the head's blood-caked hair. "He was Annie and Reiner's handler, illegally, of course, but he looks just delicious, doesn't he?"

None of her guests offered a reply. 

Ignoring their lack of response, she pressed a kiss to blood-dark hair and announced, "Eat up!" 

No one did.

Her attention turned to the blonde Titan at the door then, and she said to him, "Bring Daddy." 

And he was gone.

For a long moment, Historia simply stared down at the head before her. "It's a bit of a shame, really," she said, her voice soft, and Levi wondered if he was meant to hear the words. She stroked the head's hair, running her fingers reverently through it, ignoring the red it spread over her fingers. 

"Historia…?" Ymir sounded concerned, but was ignored. 

"He was such a sweet boy..." The King pressed a gentle kiss to a cool, smooth forehead. "Such a sweet, quiet thing…"

"If he was so sweet, why'd you have him killed?" It was Eren. His eyes were blazing, though he stubbornly refused to partake of the meal before him. That didn't come as a surprise. His father had named that stubbornness as one of the boy's cardinal traits. "Why would you kill someone like him? He never did anything but serve you."

The King shrugged. "People die sometimes." And she tossed the head away into the corner.

The panther was on it instantly, ripping midnight-colored hair from the scalp. Erwin found himself wondering how often the beast was given human flesh to eat. 

The King's eyes lingered on the panther, watching, suddenly seeming unaware of her guests. She was in her own world, distant.

Beneath the table, far from her line of sight, Levi's hand grasped Erwin's, squeezing tight. The temptation was almost irresistible, and Levi's nails cut into golden skin, the scent of Erwin's blood doing nothing but making the hunger worse.

A little nibble wouldn't be so bad, would it? Just one...

It had been months since Levi had eaten last, and he swallowed down the urge to feed as best he could, focusing on simply breathing, though all that did was force the scent of blood and viscera deeper into him, down into his lungs, his very core. The scent of Erwin lingered with it, and Erwin's blood was warm beneath his fingernails, running down his fingers like liquid gold.

It felt too good.

Luckily, distraction came when the familiar blonde Titan came back into the room, half-dragging a man on a leash behind him.

He was human, though his scent was foul and rotten, and he seemed more corpse than man. He stumbled awkwardly along as opposed to with a typical stride, slumped over, though the Titan was careful not to touch him, his nose crinkled up in disgust. Both of the living skeleton's arms were gone, the left at the elbow, the right at the shoulder, the stumps leaking blood and pus as he lurched along. He soon found his way to Historia's side, his face blank, and the King smiled up at him, warm and gentle and soft. There was love in her eyes.

Levi knew this poor creature. He'd seen a photo of him that morning. Of course, in the photo, he had been a man, smiling and alive.

"This is my daddy," the King said, forcing the man to his knees at her side, leaning in to take a bloody nibble from the shredded remains of his right shoulder. He gave no response to it. "He let me get infected, didn't he, Eren?"

Eren said nothing, refusing to even look at her, brow furrowed, eyes bright. 

"He let my mother and my sister get infected too," the King continued, "and it killed them. He's always been a terrible father, you see." She stroked his thinning hair as if she were petting a dog. "He deserves this."

At Erwin's disgusted look, she gestured at the scattered pieces of human meat adorning the table and asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

"Not particularly," was all the other blonde said, careful to keep his eyes from the Titan lingering at the door.

"That's a shame." The King seemed unaffected, still busying her hand against her father's brittle hair. "Is sweet Bert not to your taste?"

"I'm afraid not."

Her eyes widened a bit then. "Oh, I see!" She sounded nothing short of delighted. "You're human, aren't you, Erwin?"

Erwin didn't see fit to dignify that with an answer, merely giving Levi's hand a gentle squeeze beneath the table. Blood dripped from their joined fingers.

"I'm so naïve sometimes!" She laughed at herself, high and sweet. "To think you were a Titan..." And the laughter was gone, replaced with hunger. "I was wondering why you smelled so good..." 

Levi's possessive look brought an amused little giggle bubbling up past her lips, though he was far from amused, if his responding glare was any indication.

Unperturbed, the King continued, "I must admit, you look delicious, too." The way her eyes were roving was immensely disconcerting. "Of course, I could probably get a great deal of trade-goods for you at the breeding facility..."

"The breeding facility?" Erwin asked. "They're just rumors, aren't they?"

"Oh, of course not! We have to breed out food, don't we? The government stopped shipping people in ages ago." Again, her eyes were roving, her sapphire lingering at Erwin's shoulders, dragging over his chest, hungry. 

At his handler's side, Levi growled.

"You look a bit too muscular, though..." She gave a dismissive flip of her hand. "Muscle isn't very tasty at all." She laughed then, the sound musical and lovely. "Mikasa actually works out as a deterrent for me. She thinks that if she's muscular enough, I won't want to eat her anymore." Blue eyes locked with gray, Eren tensing at his sister's side, and Historia laughed again. "As if that makes any difference."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a progress report! I have sixteen pages of plot written out for this fic. So far, I'm on page four. We have a long way to go, I'm pleased to say :) This is gonna be the longest fic I've written! Also, it's the first that isn't just some modern-day AU where the boys live in domestic peace. This is actually turning out to be a horror story of sorts, and I love that :) My writing roots lie with horror, actually, and I think that's likely why I've become so invested in this story...
> 
> Oh! And who were the blonde and brunette Titans? I'm sure you know! As for Bertholdt... Poor little baby. But some human had to die, and I've never really been a fan of his, so I'm afraid it had to be him. Boo. But his death was not in vain. Bit of a plot-driver, actually... And Mikasa. She's older now. It's been eleven years, after all. We'll say Eren was seventeen when he was infected
> 
> And the way he was looking at Levi... There will come something from that...
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	16. Give In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The King is brutal," Erwin said, still studying Grisha Jaeger's old field journal. He hadn't put it down since Levi had given it to him after the feast, and that had been hours ago. "Both Pixis and Petra warned us about her."
> 
> "I never expected her to be like this, though." Levi's gaze was focused out the hole in the roof now, the stars shining down on them. They were the only peaceful things left in this shithole of a world. "She's worse than Kenny was, and I've never met anyone who was even ON HIS LEVEL before, let alone someone who was worse."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic AU, former soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)

"He was her subject..." Levi's voice had gone raspy hours ago, though still he rambled on, pacing up and down their makeshift bedroom, glaring at anything that caught his attention. Even Erwin had been on the receiving end of that glower a time or two. "He was her subject, and she still..."

"She's brutal," Erwin agreed, still studying Grisha Jaeger's old field journal. He hadn't put it down since Levi had given it to him after the feast, and that had been hours ago. 

"But he was her subject!" Levi growled to himself, nails digging into his palms. "To serve up one of her subjects, someone who served her, like some kind of animal…"

"The King is brutal," Erwin said again, still reading, not even bothering with looking up. "Both Pixis and Petra warned us about her."

"I never expected her to be like this, though." Levi's gaze was focused out the hole in the roof now, the stars shining down on them. They were the only peaceful things left in this shithole of a world. "She's worse than Kenny was, and I've never met anyone who was even ON HIS LEVEL before, let alone someone who was worse."

"That's true, I suppose."

That indifference was irritating, Levi decided, and he announced, "I'm going for a walk. I oughta be back before dawn."

That, at last, seemed to catch Erwin's attention, and he glanced up, saying, "Levi--"

"It's nighttime." The Titan said it as if it were a curse, his anger showing through. "Trust me, none of them have the strength to come after you at the moment. Besides, they'll take the Jaeger girl before they'll take you. The King really wants her. You're safe for now."

For a moment, Erwin was silent.

Levi turned.

"Be careful."

A nod of agreement, and Levi was gone. 

Stohess was an eerie place by night, the marbled floors seeming to slither in the shadows like great blue-gray serpents. Even with the enhanced eyesight that Titan brought on, it was still difficult to see without a lantern, and Levi moved slowly, carefully through the building.

Across from the room he shared with Erwin, Levi had seen a smile fire, and when he came to it, he found the other Titans gathered around it: Ymir, Annie and Reiner, Eren and his handler... All but the King and the familiar guards who held her half-dead father captive.

"Where is she?" 

None of the others seemed surprised to see him, and none of them seemed surprised by his question. 

"In the throne room," Ymir said, shrugging her shoulders. "She's too good for us, I think."

"You can hang with us, if you want, though." Eren. Of course. 

Mikasa seemed displeased with her brother's suggestion, and honestly, that was probably what made Levi give in, and he took a seat around the little fire burning on the floor, at the boy's side, with the King's lover at his left. 

"And none of you are gonna try to eat me?" were the first words to pass Levi's lips once he settled down.

Reiner laughed at him then, and Eren and Ymir both gave a little chuckle, though neither Annie nor Mikasa seemed the least bit amused. 

"You're one of us," the big blonde said, grinning. "We're not gonna eat you, promise."

"Mikasa's the only one any of us wanna eat." Annie's voice was as monotonous as ever, but there was something like concern in it when her frigid eyes locked with gray ones. 

The room's only human seemed to take that as he cue to leave, and Levi asked, "Where's she going?"

"Who knows?" Eren didn't sound particularly concerned. "She's always going off on her own. She can defend herself just fine, though, so at least I don't hafta worry about her too much." His brilliant eyes met Levi's then, and he asked, "What about your soldier friend? Can he defend himself?"

"He's a soldier, isn't he?" was Levi's sharp retort, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"He told me he deserted, though," Eren said. "Went AWOL before the second coming, he said."

"He did it for me." Levi shrugged, though he could do nothing to stop the pleased little ghost of a smile at the edges of his lips. "He couldn't be with me and be a soldier at the same time. He'd've had to kill me. So he took me, and we ran. He's my handler now."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed." 

"A bit." The kid was obviously trying to downplay it, though it wasn't really convincing. "We don't get new people around here, like, EVER, and you're..." Eren's eyes roved for a minute, dark and hungry in the firelight. "You're really different, aren't you?"

"I like to think so, yeah."

"You really are." Eren seemed almost enchanted. "I've never met anyone like you..."

"Is that right?"

"Well, yeah! You're really smart, and you stood up to Historia-- No one stands up to Historia, and..." 

"And what?" Honestly, Levi wasn't sure he wanted to know where this was going. 

"And..." He trailed off, his face gone bright red, visible even in the wavering firelight. "And you're gorgeous."

"Erwin said the same thing, y'know, and look what it got him."

"It got him you."

Sweet boy. Sweet, stupid boy. "Kid--" The word was almost an insult, though Levi doubted Eren would catch onto that. "--you don't even know me."

The reply was soft, coming on a breathy sigh, "But I want to."

Though the kid's words were a bit flattering, Levi refused to rise to the challenge in his voice, asking instead, "How did Historia become King Inside the Wall?"

Ymir was the one to answer, as Eren had been left sulking: "She's absolutely brutal. Honestly, even I'm a little afraid of her, even though I know that she has no reason to hurt me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Ymir's eyes glimmered in the dancing of the fire, shifting from molten amber to sunshine gold and back again. "She was a fledgling when I met her, wandering the streets on the hunt for her father. She tried to devour me, but I ended up kissing her instead. She was such a pretty little thing..." That golden gaze was distant now, seeing the past. "We've been together ever since."

"Why, though?" Levi asked, and Ymir shot him a glare, irritated with having her reverie disrupted. 

"Why what?" Ymir's glare was a fearsome thing.

Levi, of course, felt no fear. "Why would she wanna take over the city?"

"Her father called her a princess when she was a kid," Ymir said, a little smirk crossing her lips. "I guess she just wanted it to be true."

"All this..." He thought on the Titans, on the conflict Historia had brought down on them, on the humans and the multitude of them she had devoured or allowed to be devoured, on Kenny and where he might be now, on if he was even alive anymore... "All this just to be a princess?"

"To be a king, yeah."

"That's insane."

"Well, no one's ever accused her of being sane," Ymir admitted with a little grin. "She told me once that she's always felt empty inside, even when she was human, and that eating against the hunger fills up the void or something..."

"Creepy shit," was all Levi had to say.

"Yep."

"But you still protect her?" Levi couldn't keep the confusion and curiosity from his voice. "It's not like she needs it."

"She's my mate."

"Your mate?" Levi raised a brow at that.

"Titans are considered animals by most of society," Ymir explained, reaching out to touch the flames, watching as her skin burned away, not flinching for an instant. It was unnerving to watch. "We're not really capable of actual affection. We have a pack mindset, and committing to just one partner..." She shrugged her shoulders again. "Titans are just sluts, I guess."

"Genuine love is something they say Titans aren't really capable of," Annie kicked in, and at her side, Reiner looked a bit disillusioned.

"I am, though."

The wild she-Titan looked amused by that. "You just think you are."

Annie's voice was soft, a warning in the darkness, "Ymir--"

"Bullshit." Levi, naturally.

"Well, if you--"

"Relax, both of you." Reiner was the one to interrupt, half-smiling and rolling his eyes. He pulled a small bottle of pills from the pocket of his worn, faded jeans once he'd gotten their attention, giving it a quick shake. "I got a li'l Shift, and if you behave, I might share it with you."

For a moment, Ymir simply scowled at him, though it was soon overtaken by a cocky little grin.

Levi's scowl refused to fade so easily.

Even so, Reiner seemed to count it as a victory, and the pill bottle soon made the rounds, passed around from one hand to the next, soon finding its way back to its owner.

Shift in pill form was something new, and Levi studied the little tablet with strange interest. It was small, the color just a slight bit off white, marbled with streaks of shimmering gold. "I've never seen Shift like this before…"

"Don't tell me you still do the injections?" Reiner sounded genuinely worried by that. "That shit's dangerous!"

"I know that, but we don't have it like this back in Shiganshina. The liquid form is all they sell there."

Eren leaned against his shoulder then, saying, "It's easier this way. You just put it under your tongue and let it dissolve." 

And so Levi did. 

And the effects were immediate, the hunger gone, replaced with that rampant heat. It took less than half a minute to work its way into his system. Incredible. The injections took nearly a minute and a half. "This is stronger than what we have outside the Wall..."

"The woman who invented it lives here," Reiner said, grinning. "She's perfected it since then."

"Why even do Shift, though?" Levi asked, doing his best to ignore the heat of Eren against his shoulder, the wildfire blazing in his veins. "You can just go and grab someone to eat off the street in a place like this..."

"Who cares about getting rid of the hunger when doing Shift feels as good as it does?"

It was a sound response, Levi supposed.

The heat was getting to him, though, and the boy at his side seemed to know it, his big ocean-colored eyes dark. This dark, they almost passed for that brilliant, indescribable blue. If Levi just closed his eyes and pretended...

Eren recognized that look, too, and he smiled, warm and soft and shy. He was so young...

It would never work.

"Don't look at me like that, kid."

"Why not?" Ymir had been the one to ask. "Didn't you hear me? Titans don't really stick with a single partner, even once they've found a mate. Historia's pretty possessive, but most of the time…" She shrugged her shoulders. "The big blonde may be your mate, but--"

"Erwin isn't my mate."

To that, Ymir just smirked.

Eren's glare was dirtier than Levi's, and he stood, offering the other Titan a hand up and saying, "C'mon. You don't hafta take this."

It was a bad idea, Levi was sure of it, but he went nonetheless. 

Killing the King's mate was, however, the worse of two evils.

The halls grew darker the farther Levi and Eren moved from the fire, and Levi carefully avoided the area he shared with Erwin, pulling Eren in the other direction. The kid willingly let him take the lead, and they soon found the library, dark and quiet and so far, far away from the others.

Being alone with Eren... 

This was not good, and Levi filled the silence quickly, asking, "Is she always like that?"

"Ymir?" Eren rolled his eyes, pupils blown out in the dark, almost blue. "Yeah, she's a dick. Thinks that 'cause she gets to fuck the King, she's better than everyone else."

"If she thinks I'll--"

"Can I kiss you?" Eren's eyes were on Levi's lips as he spoke, heavy-lidded and dark. Lustful.

"Prob'ly best if--"

And the kid was on him, warm and soft and far too eager. Erwin would never be that desperate. He was the slow, passionate type, and such eagerness... He had thought about it often enough to be sure. When he and Erwin finally kissed, it wouldn't be like this. Erwin would take it slow, pouring all he had into it. At last, Levi pulled away, albeit a bit reluctantly. "No."

The kid looked incredibly disappointed by that. "'No?'" he asked, his voice soft. Suddenly, he seemed much, much younger than he was. He really was just a kid.

"Absolutely not." Though their lips no longer met, the kid's arms were still looped about his waist, strong and warm, holding him close, and Levi did nothing to pull away from that. "Erwin and I..." Those lips were distracting, so soft, and just barely out of reach. Even so… "I can't do that to him."

"But he'd understand, don't you think?"

This kid was far too persistent. "Eren--"

"You'd be better off with another Titan, though, yeah?"

For a long moment, Levi was silent, gazing up into those blue-green eyes. Green eyes, not blue. And he pulled himself away, chanting it in his mind over and over, a mantra, a prayer: Green eyes, not blue. Green eyes, not blue. "No." And he walked away. Green eyes, not blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So against my better judgment, I have kinda cut short the little bit of ereri this fic was gonna have. A trial by fire was necessary, I think, as it is for all romances, especially those of the tragic sort, like the kind our boys are involved in, but for the sake of my readers, it didn't really go as far as I was planning on taking it. From this point on, at least, the ereri is mostly one-sided, though that was my intention from the start. Really hoping I don't regret cutting it down...
> 
> On the bright side, we've gotten more of Historia's backstory in this chapter, plust a bit of Ymir's, and a little about the dynamic of the Titans themselves
> 
> There's also a bit more to learn about Shift in this chapter, and about its creator. You know who she is, don't you? I can't write a multi-chap without her! In a few chapters, we'll get to meet her in person :)
> 
> Also, just so you know, I love Ymir. She's an arrogant dick, and I love her with all my heart <3
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	17. Bygones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They say anyone can be a bounty hunter nowadays," Erwin agreed, his disgust clear in his voice. "The government doesn't care enough to make sure we're properly trained and registered anymore. All you have to do is call yourself a hunter and hope it sticks. They're thrill-seekers, mostly." 
> 
> "And only those types are willing to come into the Wall at all. Only the crazy ones make it this far." Again, Mikasa's eyes were roving, and they soon met Erwin's, searching. "Are YOU crazy?"
> 
> Erwin gave a wry smile at that. "I'm not crazy," he said, "just very desperate."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic 28 Days/Weeks Later AU, AWOL soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri. NC-17 rating overall for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, violence and language. A multitude of angst comes with this fic, as well as much unresolved sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky and a virus that has brought the world to its knees

It bothered her to leave Eren with the other Titans, even now. He could trust them, she knew, but the new Titan... 

Levi, that was his name.

The way he looked at Levi was troublesome. He wanted him. 

Levi was too engrossed with his handsome blonde handler to involve himself with Eren, she hoped. The kid couldn't handle a relationship, she was sure of it. He wasn't emotionally mature enough for that. Honestly, she doubted that he was even mature enough for a fuck-and-run.

But she couldn't be with him, not with the way the conversation had been going. They'd visited the curio shop the previous day, and the little bottle of Shift they had procured was sure to go around before the night was over. 

Titans were too rough with Shift in their system, even for someone as tough as she was.

The last time she'd tangled with a Shifted-up Annie, her hips had been bruised for weeks, and the bite marks along her neck and shoulders had yet to fade away. She was immensely grateful for the fact that the scarf Eren had given her kept them hidden from his view. He'd have throttled Annie if he'd seen them…

As she walked the darkened halls, she spotted a light wavering across the courtyard. That was where Levi and his handler was staying, she thought. She'd have to pay her fellow human a visit. She crept along like a cat, like a shadow, swift and silent, and he didn't even notice her presence until she spoke, asking, "You're his handler, aren't you?"

Erwin's head snapped up at that sudden voice, wide blue eyes meeting with chilly, unaffected gray.

"That Titan," the woman said, arms crossed, brow furrowed. "The one Eren was staring at during the feast. You're his handler, aren't you?"

"I am." Cautiously, Erwin set aside Grisha Jaeger's journal, laying it on the ground, far from the other's sight. It made no matter, of course, given she'd already read over it a thousand times. "And you're Eren's handler, yes?"

"Yes." Her eyes, still cold, still guarded, roamed for a moment, and she asked, "Why do you want to take Eren away?"

"There's a bounty on his head."

And then Mikasa was glaring, all daggers and ice, and it sent a literal shiver down Erwin's spine.

Scrambling a bit, though it didn't show, he amended himself: "It's not like that."

"That's what they all say," was the girl's retort, icy as ever. "Grisha's sent so many... They all claim that taking Eren away is for his own good, that they won't hurt him, and then they try to beat him into submission like an animal when he doesn't cooperate..."

"I won't--"

"They all say that, too," she cut in.

"I swore to a handler on the street that I wouldn't hurt him."

"A handler?" Mikasa looked confused now. "Just some random handler? What did he look like? Who was his Titan?"

"I didn't catch their names," Erwin said, a bit irritated with the diversion, though he kept it well hidden, "but the Titan had blonde hair and golden eyes, and the handler had freckles. He seemed too sweet to be in a place like this..."

"Marco." She nodded to herself. "You swore to Jean and Marco that you wouldn't hurt Eren?"

"He said he and his Titan were friends of yours," Erwin said. "He made me promise not to hurt Eren, and I don't intend to. Of course, I didn't intend to hurt him BEFORE I swore…"

For a moment, Mikasa looked impressed. "You're not like the other hunters, are you?"

"I certainly hope I'm not," Erwin said. "From what I've heard, they've all been terribly unprofessional. The use of violence on a boy like Eren... Anyone who's read his psychological profile would know better than to even try it."

"They never do, though," she said, the words accompanied by a roll of frigid eyes. "No one does their research..."

"They say anyone can be a bounty hunter nowadays," Erwin agreed, his disgust clear in his voice. "The government doesn't care enough to make sure we're properly trained and registered anymore. All you have to do is call yourself a hunter and hope it sticks."

"Most of them aren't even sane."

"Thrill-seekers, mostly," Erwin agreed again. 

"And only those types are willing to come into the Wall at all. Only the crazy ones make it this far." Again, her eyes were roving, and they soon met Erwin's, searching. "Are YOU crazy?"

Erwin gave a wry smile at that. "I'm not crazy," he said, "just very desperate."

To that, Mikasa said nothing, though her face softened a bit. 

Strangely enough, the silence that fell between them then was not awkward, and she soon took a seat beside him, asking, "Who are you?"

"My name is Erwin," he told her, offering one of the apples stashed in his pack. It was odd to talk about himself. His thoughts were always so trained on Levi that speaking of himself lead to the drawing of a blank. "I'm… Well, a bounty hunter, but you already know that."

"You dress like a soldier."

"I was, once."

"'Once?'" 

"I left to be with Levi," Erwin explained, shrugging his shoulders. "For a soldier to pair with a Titan, even one who had saved his life... It was frowned upon."

"And they discharged you?" the woman asked, her eyes dark and inquisitive. 

"I went AWOL, actually." It was a confession of a great sin, even now. Even after eleven years, necessary though it had been, Erwin couldn't find it in himself to grant forgiveness for it. "I left everything and everyone behind so I could be with Levi." His eyes met Mikasa's, sensing a kindred spirit. "You did the same thing to stay with Eren, didn't you?"

"I left my family, yes." Mikasa sighed, shining the apple's skin against her sleeve. "Eren and Armin and I... We were always inseparable, even when we were babies." Her eyes were distant, seeing the past. "Armin was a lost cause after his infection, though, and when Eren wanted to go to the Wall... It was where he belonged, he said, with the other monsters…" She nibbled at her lower lip, looking troubled. "I couldn't just let him go, least of all alone. I'd already lost one brother; I couldn't lose the other."

"So you gave up your parents for your would-be brothers?"

"I loved my parents." There was something almost defensive in Mikasa's voice, something icy in her eyes. "I still do. But my mother became infected herself just before we left..." 

The way she said it made the Titan's identity obvious.

"Eren?" Erwin asked.

She nodded. "Eren. That was the main reason he wanted to leave, actually. He couldn't stand being around my father after my mother's infection."

"Did she survive it?" Erwin asked. That little tidbit had been left out of the paperwork Jaeger had given him and Levi upon their departure. Mikasa's parents had been of great import to the doctor, it seemed, given he hesitated to speak of them even in his notes...

"No." There was no emotion in Mikasa's voice. "She died the day we left for the Wall. She and my father and Grisha had been friends forever, and Grisha felt obligated to take me in afterwards, given my father was in no state to care for anyone, even himself at the time, but I just couldn't stay." She sighed, a shaky, troubled sound. "And I couldn't let Eren go off on his own. He's reckless. If he'd have gone off alone, he'd have gotten himself killed his first day here."

"And your father?" 

"He killed himself."

Ah. That wasn't too far from what Erwin was expecting. "I knew that he didn't survive," he said, "but to do that when you have a child to care for..."

"YOU KNEW?" Mikasa sounded more awestruck than surprised.

"Jaeger mentioned it in his notes," was all the explanation Erwin gave.

"You knew who I was before Historia said anything, too, didn't you?" Mikasa tightened her arms around herself, looking slightly anxious, the apple in her hand forgotten. "I can understand knowing Eren, given he's your target and all, but how did you know me?"

"Jaeger wants you brought back, too."

"…Really?" There was a tiny, pleased smile on Mikasa's lips. 

Something in that compelled Erwin to respond with a smile of his own. "Really."

"I knew he wanted Eren back, but me..."

"You're his daughter as much as Eren is his son." They were Carla's words, not Grisha's, but that didn't make them any less true. 

Mikasa gave no reply then, merely smiling softly at her reflection in the apple's crimson skin. 

Once more, silence fell, calm, the starlight pouring in through the hole in the roof, and for a moment, the world was peaceful. Peace inside the Wall... It was too strange a thing to consider, and Erwin took it upon himself to be the first to speak. 

"They've found a cure for the Titan virus," he continued. "Jaeger wants Eren home, so he can be treated, but he isn't the type to go back on his own."

"You want my help?" It wasn't a question at all. 

"I think you're our best chance to get him to go with us. He listens to you."

"'He listens to me!'" It came out on a scoff, and Mikasa rolled her eyes. "Eren doesn't listen to ANYONE. Not to me, not to the King, not even to his own parents..."

"Jaeger did say he was stubborn," Erwin allowed.

"Stubborn is an understatement. Bringing him in isn't going to be an easy task, I hope you know."

"I know."

"But that Titan of yours..." There was something sly in her eyes now.

"Levi." Erwin said that name as if it were something sacred, and, to him, at least, it was.

"Eren wants him like mad," Mikasa said. "He might listen to him."

"Use Levi to bring Eren in..." Erwin fell silent then, thinking. It was a good idea, actually. Eren's attraction to Levi as obvious, and Levi knew exactly how to get what he wanted from people, but to give him the opportunity to involve himself with someone he could touch freely... It was a risk. He was willing to give Levi up if that was what the Titan wanted, but he hoped against hope that it wouldn't come to that. He couldn't lose Levi. "I'd have to talk to him about it," Erwin eventually decided.

"Just do it quickly," Mikasa replied, looking rather desperate in a non-exact kind of way. "Historia plans on devouring me soon, and if she does that, there'll be no way to keep Eren from getting himself killed at her hands."

"Understood." 

The sincerity in his voice…

"He must mean a lot to you," she said, falling quiet, "for you to value his opinion on the matter so much."

"He's everything to me."

"And for you to risk so much... What's in it for you, anyway? For bringing Eren home, I mean?" Mikasa asked, lifting one brow in curiosity. "As many hunters as Grisha's sent, he probably doesn't have any money left to give you..."

"He's going to treat Levi with the cure."

The woman's brow furrowed at that. "...That's all you want?"

"That's all that matters." The honesty in his voice was almost startling. The truth wasn't something that was often heard in the Walled city. "If Levi is human again, we'll finally have a shot at a normal life."

"Why not just have him change you, though?" Mikasa asked, shrugging her shoulders. "You'd be together forever that way."

Erwin replied with a question of his own: "Why not just have Eren change YOU?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crow, is this leaning in an Erwin/Mikasa direction? I feel like it is, even though it was unintended. Are they even an actual ship? Meh. I'm glad we got a bit of info on Mika anyway, even though, ironically, I'm... Not a fan of her. Her backstory is similar to her canon backstory, at least in the fact that she regards Eren as a brother. Other than that, though... Well, it's still grim enough to maintain her character, anyway. Also, I ship her with Annie, though as Ymir said a few chaps back, she sort of makes her rounds through the Titans, as they don't really stick with one partner, and she's relatively close to all of them
> 
> We also get a bit more backstory on Eren in this chapter, though none of it is really of great import
> 
> Mostly this chapter is a study on Mikasa's life, and... Yeah. She's not really an important character, but it seemed necessary to learn a little bit about her, given how much her past effects Eren. We'll get back to what's going on with him and Levi in the next installment. So stick around, yeah?
> 
> Also, a quick note: The idea to have Erwin use Eren's attraction to Levi as a bargaining chip came from Tumblr user Dakota-rambles. Thanks, love! :D
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	18. Good to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't deserve him."
> 
> "Why do you say that?"
> 
> "You really think a man like him deserves to be stuck with a man like me?"
> 
> Eren shrugged then, and Levi glanced down at his chest when something clattered against the zipper of his hoodie: A key. "We all have problems, I guess."
> 
> Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic 28 Days/Weeks Later AU, AWOL soldier Erwin x bounty hunter Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri. NC-17 rating overall for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, violence and language. A multitude of angst comes with this fic, as well as much unresolved sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky and a virus that has brought the world to its knees

The walk back to the fire was awkward, to say the least.

Eren was quiet for once, pouting like a child, brow furrowed, cheeks puffed, brilliant eyes downcast. In a way, it was kind of cute. Levi shoved that thought away the second it took form.

"You pouting, Eren?"

Ymir's jape didn't earn her anything but a pair of dirty looks, and she cackled in response. 

"That was pretty quick, too. Y'outta practice, Levi?"

"Shut it," was all he had to say, taking a seat near Annie, farther away from the other members of the little group. 

"S'prised you came back at all," the wild Titan said, her feral smile glued to Levi. A new target was preferable to the one she'd known for years, it seemed. "Figured you'da gone runnin' back to your soldier boy by now."

"I don't like to be around Erwin when I'm high," was Levi's defense. It was entirely sound logic, though it wasn't entirely true. 

"Why not?"

"It makes it too hard to resist."

To that, Ymir rolled her eyes. "You're boring, y'know that?"

"To resist...?" Reiner seemed infinitely more interested than Ymir did.

"To resist HIM." To bring Erwin to the attention of the other Titans was unwise, really, but Levi was more than capable of warding off this lot. "Have you LOOKED at him, Reiner? He's gorgeous. He's strong and intelligent and absolutely gorgeous, and nothing in the world would be worse than seeing him infected. I can't be around him when I'm high. I can't risk passing the infection on to him."

"How did you even get infected?" Suddenly Eren was no longer sulky, brilliant eyes wide and inquisitive. He looked like a puppy about to learn a new trick.

"Erwin and I had already met by then, actually," Levi said. He was reluctant to share this story, but where was the harm? "I'd been tailing him for a few days, and he noticed pretty quickly. He's more observant than he seems."

"Why were you following him?" Reiner was the one to ask, a grin on his face. "'Cause you thought he was gorgeous?"

"I was under orders to kill him." Levi shrugged, looking far too nonchalant. "Following him around was the best was to catch him off guard. When I finally attacked, he defended himself, but only just. He coulda killed me, if he really wanted to."

"You were under orders?" Now it was Eren asking. "Were you in the military, too?"

"I was working under Kenny Ackerman, but Erwin intrigued me, I guess, and I couldn't bring myself to go after him again."

"You defied KENNY ACKERMAN?" Both Eren and Reiner were agape, Ymir's eyes were a bit wide, and even Annie looked rather impressed.

"I'd never met anyone like Erwin before," was Levi's justification, "and I didn't wanna lose that."

"Yeah, but how did you get infected?" Ymir was clearly the most impatient of the group. At least she was interested, though.

"I took a bite for him to keep him around long enough for me to figure him out." Clearly hesitant, Levi grabbed at the black fabric around his right bicep. The material covered from his upper arm to the top of his hand, held in place by a little hole for his thumb to go through. He slid the skin-tight cloth down and off his wrist, bunching it up in his fist. The icy-pale skin beneath was marred with silvery slashes, bite marks and pieces of missing flesh. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"He was someone, too, though, wasn't he?" Eren was leaning on Levi's shoulder again, openly eyeing the scars ripped into the older man's other arm. "The one who bit you..."

"Farlan, yeah." God, even just saying his name hurt. It sent the scars to blazing. "He was my best friend. I did all I could to keep him and Isabel from getting infected, but--"

"But they got infected anyway." Ymir seemed absolutely certain with her guess.

"But they got infected anyway," Levi agreed. "Isabel didn't survive the infection, and Farlan just... Lost it. He wasn't himself anymore."

"Did you kill him?" Strange. Even Annie seemed interested now.

"Yeah." It was hard to admit that, even now, even a decade later. "I wasn't about to let a Titan survive after it tasted human flesh."

"Did you love him?" It was Eren again. 

"Of course I did."

"And the soldier," Eren asked, "did you love him then, too?"

"I've always loved him." That was the truth. There had never been a statement made that was even half so true. "He's perfect. He's everything I'm not, and..." A sigh, heavy and dejected, forced itself past Levi's lips, accompanied by a sardonic little smirk. "And I don't deserve him."

"Why do you say that?"

"You really think a man like him deserves to be stuck with a man like me?"

Eren shrugged then, and Levi glanced down at his chest when something clattered against the zipper of his hoodie: A key. "We all have problems, I guess."

"What's that key go to?"

"This?" Eren fingered the key for a moment, looking thoughtful as he stared down at it. "It goes to the only thing that matters."

"I mean it."

Eren rolled his eyes. "My basement. Armin was locked down there the last time I saw him."

That name was familiar, and Levi asked, "What was he to you?"

"A friend." And Eren tucked the key into his hoodie, looking ashamed. "I keep it as a reminder."

"Of him?" Levi asked.

The kid's voice was soft when he replied, "Of how much I fucked up."

"What happened?"

"Does it matter?" There was something hostile, something furious, in Eren's voice, and he stood. "He's gone. THAT'S all that matters."

"They were really close," Reiner said once the other Titan was gone, shrugging broad shoulders. "Eren's a little sensitive about it."

"Now you tell me." And Levi stood. "I'm going to bed."

"'Night." 

It was a little surprising when no one tried to stop him, and he soon found himself back in the little space he shared with Erwin. 

The blonde was still reading through Jaeger's journal, and Levi cleared his throat.

No response.

A more drastic approach was needed.

"The kid wants me."

That was enough to grab Erwin's attention, though when he glanced up, he was smiling. "Are you just now realizing that, Levi?" He sounded smug.

"Guess not." Levi sat then, leaning against Erwin's shoulder the way Eren had leaned on his, shivering when a strong arm came to loop about his hips, pulling him tight to the other's side, warm and safe. "I don't wanna be around him."

"Oh?"

"It's too tempting to be around him."

The pieces seemed to click together, and Erwin furrowed his brow, asking, "Did you...?"

"I didn't fuck him, if that's what you mean."

"Good to know."

Again, Levi gave an unenthused, "Guess so."

Erwin, of course, noticed, setting the journal aside, blue eyes meeting gunmetal, finding them dark and troubled. They were always dark, but now... "There's Shift in your system."

"A bit." Levi shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's stronger than the kind we have back home."

And Erwin shrunk away.

And Levi held on.

"Don't leave me, okay?" The Titan sounded almost desperate, hands fisting in the fabric of Erwin's coat.

That was unusual. Desperation wasn't something Levi felt often, and Erwin asked, soft and uncertain, "Is everything all right?"

"Far from it."

"You can tell me, you know." Erwin pressed a kiss to Levi's hair, and the Titan shivered against him, nuzzling closer. "Whatever's bothering you, you can tell me. You can trust me."

"I know that."

"And...?"

Levi rolled his eyes at that, but he spoke anyway: "I want him, too. I can actually have him." Those words stung his throat. "I can't have YOU."

"You already do."

"You know what I mean."

"I do, yes."

Levi's next words were barely a whisper, his eyes unable to meet Erwin's. "This is gonna end us, isn't it?"

"What, this boy?"

"Yeah."

"Not a chance." Another soft kiss to the Titan's hair, and Erwin said, "It could actually be used to our advantage."

That wasn't right, and Levi pulled away, demanding, "What's that mean?"

"We could use his attraction to you as a bargaining chip."

Levi actually seemed offended by that. "Like, what, he gets to fuck me if he comes with us?"

"That's the basic idea."

"No."

"No? Even if it mean you would get to sleep with him? Given you can't have me and all..." There was something sly in Erwin's too-blue eyes.

"No." Levi rarely sounded so stern. "It'd fuck everything up, me fucking him." He glanced down, tangling his fingers with Erwin's and squeezing, warm and tight. "I love YOU, Erwin." He meant every word. "I want YOU, not him. He's just a kid."

Erwin's smile was a warm thing then, gentle and soft, and he leaned in to press his lips to Levi's forehead, murmuring a soft, "Good to know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a grammar Nazi, writing Ymir is exceedingly difficult. I really like her speech pattern being super informal and rather vulgar. It seems fitting, yeah? Plus any excuse to write her is a good one. She's one of my favorite Shingekis
> 
> In this chapter, we get more backstory. Levi's infection is finally spoken of, and we get to learn exactly what befell Farlan and Isabel, painful though it was to write... We also get a bit more into Levi's relationship with Erwin
> 
> Oh, and Eren and the key and Armin... There's something to that. You'll see!
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	19. Curios and Curiosities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We should be there any minute." Historia's eyes met Levi's, and she all but demanded of him, "I expect you to behave yourself."
> 
> "And I expect you to not boss me around," was the dark-haired Titan's response, and Eren set to smirking, and Erwin found himself joining in. "You're no king of mine, remember?" Not even a self-styled King could keep Levi down.
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x infected Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating overall for sex, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst comes with this fic, as well as a great deal of sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky, and a virus that brought the world to its knees

Humans and fierce beasts were not the only creatures that could handle the Titan virus rampaging through their veins.

Apparently, large beasts were capable, too.

Outside the museum, off to one side of the building, was a makeshift stable of sorts. But there were no horses. No, the only animal kept in the stable was an African elephant, scarred and massive, which Reiner was currently murmuring to. The beast seemed calmed by his presence, and when Reiner caught Levi's amazed stare, the blonde grinned and simply said, "It's an animal thing." 

Slowly, gently, a small, cube-shaped litter was secured to the elephant's back, thick leather straps done up beneath its belly and bottom and throat.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" The King sounded almost reverent, sliding one hand along its side, though it seemed to shy from her touch, bellowing softly and pressing its trunk to Reiner's back.

Levi didn't want to think of how she had domesticated the poor beast. It's scar-slashed, milky eyes were explanation enough. And the way it shied away from her… It even knew her voice, knew the danger in that songbird sweetness. He'd never felt such pity before.

"Why an elephant, though?" Erwin had been the one to ask. He had always been the curious sort. Knowledge was power, he often said, and he was one of the few who seemed to truly believe it. "Why not keep a horse? It would be so much easier..."

"Horses don't usually survive the infection," Historia replied, shrugging her shoulders. "And there weren't many here to begin with. Just the ones the police officers rode."

"We had a zebra for a while," Mikasa said, giving a shrug of her own.

"But it ended up dying," the King added a bit sharply. "There's not much vegetation around here, and this big guy eats up most of it. That's why I own more predators than anything else."

"There are more?" Levi asked, suddenly sounding ill-at-ease. 

"Only a few more, I'm sad to say," was the King's reply, and oddly enough, she did seem genuinely distressed by it. "I had a white tiger once, a glorious thing, but the black killed it, too. Black and white and red all over..." She laughed at her own joke, a soft, demented tittering.

"Are all of the animals you keep exotic sorts?" Erwin asked next, eyes tracing the multitude of deep, silvery scars crisscrossing the elephant's battered hide. 

"The majority of the animals that survived Titan were from the Zoo. They had help surviving from the keepers, I guess. Hange wanted to see how they would behave after the infection." And the King suddenly looked vaguely cross, her smooth brow furrowing. "Didn't I already tell you this?"

Her annoyance was soon wiped away when Reiner announced, "We're ready."

"Wonderful!" With his help, the King climbed into the litter on the elephant's back, drawing the ratty gossamer curtains shut behind her. Once the beast had climbed to its feet, she called out, "To the curio shop!"

And the party was on their way.

It was a tour, the King had said when Levi and Erwin had been presented to her an hour or so before, just as the sun was making its daily debut over the top of the Wall, soaking the inner world in liquid gold. Come with me and see my kingdom! She had deigned to bring her entire entourage, too: Ymir and Annie, Eren and Mikasa, and Reiner as the animal's keeper. Only her guards remained at her so-called palace, guarding her perpetually-dying father. 

As they came off the museum's impressive driveway, the sun-soaked city came into view in all its squalid, rotten splendor.

Even this far from the heart of the city, the Titans were running amok, searching for the unwilling humans who had taken shelter during the day-hours, lest they become infected themselves. As the King and her entourage made their way through the decaying streets, the crowds parted, and those who refused were crushed to steaming piles of viscera beneath the elephant's feet. Those who had parted feel upon the remains instantly, crying their thanks out to their King. 

They were grateful for the food, it seemed. 

Erwin should have been mapping their path, he knew, but there was nothing he could do to keep his eyes off Levi for more than a few seconds at a time.

More specifically, he couldn't keep his eyes off the teenager lingering at Levi's side, chattering away like some bubbleheaded sparrow, chirping happily as they walked. He was currently twittering on about Armin, fingering the key that hung around his neck, smiling softly. There was something almost radiant about him, and that only served to darken Erwin's protective glare. Levi didn't seem to be too engrossed, though, and Erwin took at least a bit of comfort in that.

Mikasa seemed to be as annoyed as he did, and for an instant, they shared an irritated little smile.

That smile turned into something rather genuine when Erwin crinkled his nose, suddenly assaulted by the odor of rotting flesh and mold and debris. "You get used to it after a while," she told him, sounding sympathetic.

The city was rotten on this side, in the area opposite the Wall, and Erwin did his best to study it, putting thoughts of Levi's rambunctious little pet and the foul scent of the air out of his mind. 

He and Levi had first seen the area by cover of night, and they hadn't really gotten a good look at the disaster all around them. The buildings here were in an even more serious state of disrepair than those at the heart of the city, many of them strewn between with clotheslines, though there was more moss hanging from them than clothing. A few suicide victims were strung up from old light posts, their shoulders adorned with crows, the ropes about their necks rotting, falling to loose threads. The gutters were littered with corpses, as well, some human, some Titans, their remains still steaming, and Erwin asked, "They don't die of hunger, do they?"

"They were killed," the King said, and Erwin could practically hear the uncaring shrug she must have given. "Even if other Titans don't get the chance to devour them before they've dissolved away, it still reduces the surplus population, and saves the food supply for the strong. Only the strong deserve to eat, don't you think?"

That sent Erwin's stomach to turning, though it was Levi who announced, once again, that, "You people are monsters."

"No more than you," was the King's retort. She sounded smug. 

"Where are we going?" Now it was Erwin speaking again, half to protect Levi, half out of genuine curiosity. "You said it was a curio shop..."

"With Levi here, we've gone through more Shift than we usually would," Ymir said. Her eyes were on the little dark-haired Titan as she spoke, giving him a piercing, accusatory stare. "We're gonna get some more. May as well take you along for the trip. No way're we gonna leave you at the palace alone. Who knows what you'd do…"

"We get a good deal, too," Reiner added, though he, too, seemed to be speaking more to Levi than to Erwin. He kept one large hand against the elephant's trunk to keep it calm. "Remember when I said the one who invented Shift lives here?"

"You get it directly from the source," Levi said.

"Yep! The King brings her guinea pigs, and she gives us Shift for cheap."

"It's a good deal," Ymir added. "Been going like this for years."

"What are the guinea pigs used for?" Levi asked, stepping closer to Erwin, protective. "Why don't you just eat them?"

"Mostly, they're Titans who've defied the King's laws," Ymir replied, shooting a dangerous look at a suddenly sullen Reiner. "And new varieties of Shift can't be released to the public before we know if and how they work, right? You gotta test a product before you sell it."

"Fair enough."

"What are the King's laws, though?" Erwin asked. "It doesn't seem like typical laws are observed here..."

"Mostly it's just 'keep your hands off the King's shit.'" Eren was the one to answer, the words coming on a sneer, and from up in her litter, Historia scoffed. "She's touchy about that."

"It's more 'keep your hands off her mate,'" Annie amended, and Eren gave a little smirk.

"Enough." It was Historia's voice. She peeked out the moth-eaten curtain then, glancing around at her ruined domain. "We should be there any minute." Her eyes met Levi's, and she all but demanded of him, "I expect you to behave yourself."

"And I expect you to not boss me around," was the dark-haired Titan's response, and Eren set back to smirking, and Erwin found himself joining in. "You're no king of mine, remember?" Not even a self-styled King could keep Levi down.

The little curio shop didn't lay far from Stohess, backed against the Wall, less than half-an-hour's walk away. The building had once been some sort of New Age pharmacy, Erwin thought, with a glass-walled greenhouse and a wooden sauna out back. The front door was guarded by a pair of savage-looking Titans, both massive, both with dead, empty eyes. Erwin got the feeling they were all but vegetables. They were barely breathing. Nevertheless, Levi growled at them as the group entered the shop, leaving Reiner outside to tend the elephant, stroking its side and murmuring soothing words at its tattered ears.

The interior of the shop was a mess, papers and boxes scattered about the floor and the shelves and the counter at the back of the main room. Beside the counter was a human skeleton, the bones all wired together, a pink feather boa draped about its neck. There was a sort of oddity to the place that Erwin found strangely comforting. 

"Oh!" A mousy-looking blonde was the first to meet the party, wringing his hands as his big, dark eyes darted back and forth between its members. "You're early..."

"We have guests," Historia said, gesturing to the newest members of her entourage. "The little one is a Titan, and we've shared a bit of our Shift with him. It's only polite, wouldn't you say?"

"The blonde..." The mousy boy cleared his throat, though his eyes were still roaming openly. There was a spark of recognition there, though Erwin felt no recognition at all. Did this boy know him? "You're human, aren't you?"

"I am." There was uneasiness in Erwin's voice, and Levi moved closer to him again. The boy was no threat, obviously, but Levi always become a bit of a guard dog when it came to new places. Inside the Wall, that protective urge was stronger than it had ever been.

"Oh." He sounded almost relieved. Again, the boy cleared his throat, then his eyes met the King's, and he said to her, "And you need more?"

"Yes." The King gave a dismissive wave of her hand, a graceful flick of the wrist that sent the coin-studded bracelets she wore to jangling brightly. Her nails were enameled in the same shade of blue as her gown, long and elegant. For an instant, she looked like a true monarch. "Is Hange around?"

"Hange Zoë?" Levi stepped up then, though he kept close to Erwin's side, reaching down to tangle their hands together, fingertips brushing gingerly over the cuts still adorning the blonde's skin. "The scientist?"

"She's around," the boy said to Historia, though his gaze soon turned to Levi, and he replied, "One and the same."

"I didn't know she was the one who invented Shift..."

"She wanted to find a cure for the Titan virus," the mousy boy said, shrugging his shoulders and looking just the slightest bit shame-faced, his voice soft and sheepish, "but she couldn't, so she made Shift. It's not what she wanted it to be, but..." He shrugged again. "I guess we just--"

"We have guests?" And there was Hange Zoë, stumbling into the room with a number of boxes and books and baubles stacked in her arms, bespectacled brown eyes barely visible over the top of them, arms and rubber-gloved hands wrapped around the stack. As she spoke, it tipped precariously to one side, though she was quick to right it again. "I thought I heard voices."

"It's us," Historia said. "We need more Shift."

"Already?" When she set the boxes on the counter, Hange straightened, hands coming to her lower back, rubbing a knot out of the muscle. "Oh, you have guests, too!" Her smile was a precious thing, wide and open and surprisingly warm. "And one of them a soldier! Are you bounty hunters?"

Neither answered.

Hange seemed immensely amused by that. "Paranoid much?" She laughed, moving behind the counter, saying to Historia, "Gimme a minute to find some. I haven't got any more made fresh, but I oughta have a bottle or two lying around here somewhere..."

"Fine." The King didn't seem pleased with that.

"Moblit, where did I leave that box?" Hange asked next, and the mousy box jerked to attention.

"Second shelf from the top, I think." His eyes were still on Erwin, now examining the medals pinned to the other blonde's chest. "Grey's Anatomy is on top of it."

"Let's see…" Hange clicked her tongue as she worked, balancing on her tiptoes to reach the high shelf. 

"Do you want me to get the ladder?" Moblit's voice was a tentative thing, but at least his eyes were off Erwin now.

"Got it!" And the box was pulled down, the book thumping loudly to the floor. Tightening her messy ponytail, Hange set to work again. She soon pulled the lid off the moth-eaten box, rummaging through its contents, tossing an occasional item over her shoulder. A few of them were empty pill bottles. Sounding only half-interested, not bothering with looking up from her pursuit, she asked, "So how's the Stairway to Heaven going?"

"It's complete, actually." Historia didn't seem pleased with that, either, leaning back against the doorjamb, pestering one of the vegetable-Titans guarding the door, tugging at a loose string on its shirt, though her eyes were on Reiner where he stood with the elephant, still murmuring to it, his voice inaudible, even to her heightened senses. "It's still rickety. We can only send up a few Titans at a time." She paused, thinking. "Ten, at best, I think."

"The Stairway to Heaven?" Levi looked to Erwin when he asked, knowing full-well that the blonde was as in-the-dark as he was. 

"A stairwell leading out of the Wall." The King shrugged her shoulders, the multitude of gold-coin necklaces about her throat jingling merrily with the movement above the navel-deep neckline of the sky-colored gown she wore. "Maybe I want to expand my holdings."

"You want the Titans to be able to escape the Wall." Levi's eyes were wide, his fingers tightening dangerously around Erwin's.

"Of course." Historia glanced up just in time to catch the bottle of Shift Hange had tossed to her, and she sounded almost bored when she posed the question, "You can't start a war without an army, can you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, with so many people focused on the eruri/ereri debate, I like to think I may have caught a few of you off-guard :) I told you something big was going down, didn't I?
> 
> Uh, notes... Reiner as an animal handler... I like. He's a pretty chill kinda guy, I think he'd be more than capable of soothing a Titan-afflicted elephant. Truth be told, I really just really love Reiner, and I wanted to give him something fun to do
> 
> Oh, oh! And Hange and Moblit finally get introduced in this chapter! Hange will do something VERY important in the next chapter... Moblit, not so much, though there is a reason for him to stare at Erwin. You'll see. And don't worry, I'm not shipping them together or anything :P You people worry about shipping too much...
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	20. A Complication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It'll be good for morale," the King said, "having me with them on the battlefield, fighting valiantly at their side instead of trembling away on the battlements. I won't make them fight for their freedom on their own: I'll be fighting for it WITH them."
> 
> "You think you DESERVE freedom?" Levi sneered those words, glaring hard with those shining silver-bullet eyes. "Monsters don't deserve freedom."
> 
> "Everyone deserves freedom," was the King's argument. "When the war comes, and believe me, IT WILL, I'll be on the frontlines with Ymir and the others."
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x infected Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating overall for sex, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst comes with this fic, as well as a great deal of sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky, and a virus that brought the world to its knees

"A King doesn't accompany his soldiers into battle." Coming someone as stern as Erwin, it almost sounding like a scolding.

"That's because Kings are generally men," Historia replied with an elegant, dismissive flip of her wrist, sending her myriad golden bracelets to jingling, "and men are cowards." She nodded to herself, confirming her own thoughts. "It'll be good for morale, having me with them on the battlefield, fighting valiantly at their side instead of trembling away on the battlements. I won't make them fight for their freedom on their own: I'll be fighting for it WITH them."

"You think you DESERVE freedom?" Levi sneered those words, glaring hard with those shining silver-bullet eyes. "Monsters don't deserve freedom."

"Everyone deserves freedom," was the King's argument. "When the war comes, and believe me, IT WILL, I'll be on the frontlines with Ymir and the others."

At her side, her mate gave a proud smirk. 

The others, though, seemed less than enthused. Mikasa reached out to touch Eren's arm at that, looking worried, brow furrowed, moving closer to her brother's side. Annie, for her part, crossed her arms over her chest, glancing out the window at Reiner, and then over at Eren, who returned her stare with an equally concerned expression. 

There was dissention in the ranks, it seemed, or at the very least, there was doubt, and Erwin knew it would be worth it to take advantage. He asked, genuinely curious, "You think there won't be anyone opposing you?"

"Well, the only military for miles is the drunk gatekeeper and the troublemakers they're shipped here to keep them out of their hair." For an instant, the King seemed to ponder over the other blonde's question. "The only real threat are the soldiers who have been shifted into Titans, and they were dishonorably discharged and left here to rot, so I don't think they'd really feel any loyalty to the Army that abandoned them." Grinning a bit, she added, "I actually have a few of them in my employ."

"The military left them here?" That information hadn't been made public, Erwin was sure of it.

"Well, of course!" As disturbing as that information was, the King seemed amused. "A Titan can't be a soldier. Not the sort official armies want, anyway. Titans are rebellious, animalistic by nature. They need a firmer hand than the Army--" She spat that word like a rotten piece of meat, disgusted "--can legally provide. They're too soft."

Erwin didn't bother denying that.

"You were a soldier, too. A ranking officer, judging by the coat you're wearing." There was something like admiration in her voice. "And all those medals..." Her eyes flitted to Eren, where he stood at Levi's side, Mikasa still holding onto his arm. "Eren tells me you went AWOL for Levi's sake." And then that glacier-gaze was on Erwin again, and she asked, "Is that right?"

"It is, yes." The words were choked, and Eren looked rather distressed when Levi moved to his handler's side, tangling their fingers together in open sight of the King and her makeshift army. The day was strangely warm, the sun brilliant, and Levi had foregone his coat, instead donning only the simple gray tank he wore beneath it. The band of black fabric that covered the scarred ruin of his right arm contrasted sharply with the milk-white of his skin, and Erwin added, using a favorite phrase of his other half, meaning every word, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"That's so romantic!" Hange's voice was loud, echoing against the mold-spotted plaster walls of the pharmacy. Her eyes were bright with something that clearly wasn't the Titan virus, something warm and soft. "Moblit, would you do that for me?"

The mousy blonde didn't seem to know how to respond, flushing slightly and ducking his head into the log book set on the counter.

Erwin, on the other hand, knew exactly how to respond, and that was to not respond at all. It had been a hint: I'm with the military, too. We're comrades. You can trust me. He didn't, of course. Surely she was smart enough to realize that.

"Anyway." Historia was annoyed now, digging her enameled nails into the shoulder of one of the vegetable-Titans guarding the door. It didn't seem to feel it, not so much as batting an eyelash, even when the skin broke and began to steam. "I have a secret weapon."

"Oh?" Erwin felt Levi press closer to him then, protective and worried and intrigued all at once.

"Hange, tell them." It was a command.

Hange, for her part, feigned hesitation. "You're sure you wanna--"

"TELL THEM."

And Hange sighed, still playing at nervousness, though the fascination in her eyes was even more noticeable now. "I've been working with the Titan virus," she announced, crossing her arms and leaning them against the counter. 

Though she looked proud, she was clearly a bit worried, too. This was sensitive information, Erwin wagered. For a moment, he wondered how many others, if any, she had told about this. 

"Tampering with the virus' programming, as it were," she said. "It's more contagious than it's ever been, and the effects are stronger. I can't seem to do anything to stop the hunger, but with the instincts amplified, the hunt has become that much easier. There's no hiding from the ones infected with enhancement, though so far I've only given it to one subject. I don't know enough about its effects to spread it around just yet."

"Why would you...?" Levi looked nothing short of disgusted by that. He was so disconcerted that he couldn't even bring himself to finish his sentence. This was bad. Hell, this was worse than he had ever dared to imagine. First the Stairway to Heaven, and now an enhancement to the virus that had ended the world…

The world was going to end all over again.

"Bring him up, Moblit," the King suddenly commanded, and glancing at Hange for a moment, the fretful blonde did as he was told, disappearing behind a door near the front counter.

As he passed, Hange lifted on hand to give his shoulder a comforting squeeze. The smile he gave her was a timid, unsettled thing. So was hers. Whoever this Patient X was, even Hange Zoë, his creator, feared him. THIS WAS BAD.

Levi seemed more in need of comfort than Moblit did.

"Enough people have been killed by Titan," he was growling, "to make it stronger--"

"Is necessary for my ambitions," the King interrupted. "In order to take over outside the Wall, I need an army, and average Titans…" For a second, she looked almost ashamed. "Well, they just aren't strong enough. We're a ragtag army, at best. We have a few who are truly skilled--" Her eyes found Ymir's then "--but most aren't real fighters, and I need real fighters. My ambition requires real soldiers. There's still work to do, of course, but at least now I have ONE."

Almost as if on cue, Moblit returned, leading a man on a leash and harness behind him up the stairs from the shop's basement, keeping a careful distance, though the Titan seemed relatively docile, at least for the moment. He handed the leash over to the King without a moment to spare, soon returning to the log book he had been examining before. 

Hange leaned in to bump her shoulder against his, smiling in an uncertain sort of way, and he finally seemed to relax a little.

Irritated by the lack of attention in her direction, Historia gave the mystery Titan's leash a jerk, and he growled, a low, fearsome sound, deeper than most, darker.

The harnessed man didn't look terribly inhuman, as surprising as that was. He was tall and gaunt, with thinning black hair and sallow skin that was beginning to wrinkle, and there was something familiar about him. His eyes, though... There was nothing even remotely human about those eyes. Whereas most Titans' eyes took on the glow only when the rage took them, this Titan's eyes were without pupils or irises or any color to speak of at all, constantly glowing milky white. He turned his head, glancing at the others. "Levi," he said.

Erwin had never seen Levi's eyes blaze up so quickly.

"Kenny." He said it like a curse.

"Oh, you two know each other?" Historia seemed absolutely delighted by that, clapping her hands together and giving that dazzling smile. 

"An old business partner," Kenny replied. His voice was the sound of ice crashing together in a storm-ravaged sea. "You look well." His attention shifted to Erwin then, his brow creasing. "And you're still with him..."

"I'll always be with him." Levi said like a vow, a sacred oath he never intended to break, tightening his fingers around Erwin's, making sure the other Titan could see it. 

"You were supposed to KILL him." Kenny sounded oddly amused by that, one corner over his mouth lifting. "And, what, you decided to fuck him instead?"

"You could say that." There was a faint smirk ghosting over Levi's lips as he spoke. "Not that it's any of your business who I fuck. Not anymore."

"Always did have a mouth on you." Though they did not move, Kenny's eyes appeared to rove for an instant. "I didn't expect you to still be alive." He didn't sound displeased.

"Figured someone woulda done you in, too."

"Oh, they tried." Kenny jerked his chin toward Historia: "Ask her."

"You were my rival," was all the defense the King bothered to give. "You deserved it."

Now it was Kenny offering defense. "I wasn't about to let you go unopposed with that crazy leaving the Wall shit," he said. Though his eyes were blank, they seemed to glare. "The King Inside the Wall and the God Outside, wasn't it?"

"I WILL be the God Outside," was all Historia had to say. Something in her voice made it obvious that she truly believed it, too. It was a frightening thought.

"There have been gods outside the Wall before," Erwin was suddenly saying. "They've all been forgotten by now." It was true. The world had given up on religion long ago. How could you have faith in a world that had crumbled to pieces around you? How could you have faith in a god that saw fit to destroy everything you had ever known, everything that you had ever loved? To put it simply, you couldn't. "They always get forgotten in the end."

"That's exactly was they need a new one." The King seemed to be entirely certain of that assessment. "And with the way Hange's work has changed Kenny..."

"She picked a really shitty subject, though," Levi said, and Historia glared at him with her winter-lake eyes. "He'll tuck tail and run if you give him the chance."

"Will he now?" She didn't seem to care either way.

"You can't trust him."

Hange didn't seem put off, and she took it upon herself to speak when the King remained silent. "You can't trust anyone," she said. "Especially not your subjects. Moblit's the only person I trust."

That, at least, seemed to soothe the fidgety blonde, and he smiled a bit, finally resurfacing from the log book he had buried himself in.

"And Ymir is the only one I trust," the King added. "There are times when I can be a bit naïve, but I'm not stupid. I know better than to trust people, Titans or otherwise. I don't trust Hange, and I don't trust Kenny, but I trust in their fear of me to keep them in line." That said, she nodded her go-ahead to the scientist. "Continue."

"The only real criteria for the enhancement was that the subject be strong, and Kenny is," Hange explained, adjusting her glasses like some old professor, her eyes still lingering on Historia, suddenly a bit uncertain. "He was one of the most dangerous people inside the Wall, even when he was human. He was one of the only ones strong enough to survive infection with the enhanced virus."

"And you'd make him more dangerous than he already was?" Levi all but demanded.

"Well, power always destroys itself soon enough," Hange replied with a shrug. She said it far too casually, the King's words of distrust no longer on her mind. "If he gets too powerful, he'll destroy himself trying to devour Sawney or Bean--" They were the vegetable-Titans, Levi assumed "--or Ymir or maybe even Historia."

"Only got a taste for the strong ones?" Levi asked, his eyes darting back over to Kenny, and the other Titan's sightless eyes seemed to brighten.

"You know me too well," was his response.

"Yeah, I know." 

Kenny's expression was oddly smug, his eyes wrinkled at the corners, shrewd. He knew something he wasn't sharing. Not that that came as a surprise, of course. He always knew something. It was at once his best and worst quality.

He would never admit it, but Levi had missed him, and his icy mask slipped for a moment. Softly, hesitantly, he asked, "Why're you even letting her do this to you? Used to be, someone came near you, and you'd kill 'em."

"I have my reasons."

"Never a straight answer from you, huh?" There was pain in Levi's voice, and Erwin squeezed his hand.

"'Course not."

Historia soon seemed to grow tired of the banter, though, and she said, "Using the virus as extracted from Sawney and Bean-- Two of the oldest Titans in existence, those with the purest form of the virus --Hange has created a soldier far stronger than we could ever have hoped for." Her face shown with pride. As always, she was lovely. "She has changed the game entirely."

"Not really," Hange disagreed, stepping to Levi's side and handing the little Titan a pill bottle, though there were clearly no pills in it; Only a slip of paper. She met his eyes then, looking hopeful and concerned and saying, "I just made it more complicated."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hange is more than she appears, I must admit. I really adore her, though she's only ever a secondary character in my fics. Her energy is a little hard for me to write... Also, a hint of MobuHan in this chapter. I ship it :) 
> 
> Oh, and Kenny. I probly shouldn't, but I absolutely love Kenny. He's such a badass! <3 
> 
> This chapter is also rather dialogue-heavy. I really hope all the plot elements make up for that. I just really wanted Levi and Kenny interacting. Levi is still rather conflicted where his old mentor is concerned, and it shows
> 
> Also, no more comments about shipping, please. Eren is a kid with a crush, and Erwin is a soulmate. Who do you think Levi would stay with? Obviously the soulmate. A trial by fire is necessary in all romances, and Levi came away unburnt. Count him as lucky. Besides, the plot is of far more consequence than the ships, always. I'm about ready to start deleting the comments that talk about the shipping...
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	21. What's Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It doesn't matter now." But it did. "What's done is done." But it wasn't, really.
> 
> The King's voice was nothing short of scornful when she replied, "Try telling that to them."
> 
> I must warn you, there's a bit of implied violence in this chapter. None of it is put into detail, but the implication is that of something terrible, something absolutely despicable. You have been warned. 
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x infected Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating overall for sex, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst comes with this fic, as well as a great deal of sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky, and a virus that brought the world to its knees

"Did you see the photo Hange had on the counter?" In the afternoon bustle of the crumbling city, Levi's voice was a soft, hesitant thing, nearly lost in the buzz of life filling up the Wall. 

Around him, King and her entourage were preparing to head back to Stohess. Historia was already aboard the elephant's back, securely lounging in the litter, and Reiner was speaking to the beast in a low, soothing murmur. It seemed to enjoy it, its trunk coming to rest against one of his shoulders as he spoke.

In addition to the bottles of Shift that had been procured, a few other things had been grabbed as well. Mikasa had traded for enough food to keep her fed for the next few days, and Ymir now carried a rucksack full of enough vitamins and disinfectants and mineral supplements to keep the King's perpetually-dying father alive for a while longer. Erwin had himself gotten a few provisions, though his attempts at trade had been shunned by Moblit, who had insisted on giving him the items free of charge. Coupled with the oddly reverent was the other blonde looked at him, there was something very suspicious about that. 

Erwin did his best to put those thoughts out of his mind, asking, "What photo?"

"The one she had on the counter," was Levi's answer, though Erwin could recall no such photo. The little brunette seemed a bit disturbed by it, though, wrapping his arms around himself as he occasionally did when he was feeling particularly insecure. Whatever was in the photograph, he was worried about it. "There were two men with her."

It seemed unimportant. Hange lived in a city, and there were men everywhere. "That's really what you want to talk about right now?" Erwin asked instead.

A look at Levi's face, though, and he understood: Not in front of the Titans.

"I didn't look," the blonde conceded. 

"One of them had dark hair, and a really stupid haircut and a pathetic little beard. He looked like a horse." There was a wry little smile at the edges of Levi's lips as he spoke, though his hands were still fidgeting with the pill bottle Hange had given to him. He didn't have the heart to open it with the other Titans around. Honestly, he was afraid to find out what the note inside it said. "The other was a blonde, and a fucking giant. Pretty eyes, though. Some kinda weird blue-green-silver-gold color. Really gorgeous, but you could never put a name to that color, if I remember right."

And Erwin started, barely finding it in himself to ask, "Are you saying...?"

"I am."

Too soon, really, the group was moving, though Erwin found himself too lost in thought to pay attention to where they were going. He knew, after all, that they were merely returning to the museum. Had they taken a different course, Levi would have informed him. As it stood, the little Titan was at his side, holding the edge of his coat sleeve with his scarred right arm, keeping close. He wasn't the only one on-edge, it seemed.

That wasn't the least bit comforting.

They were nearly halfway to their destination when words finally came. "That really was them at the feast." Truth be told, Erwin was speaking only to himself, confirming what he hadn't dared to believe. "They're still here." But for them to still be here… He shook his head, as if to shake the thoughts away. It didn't work. "That can't be."

"Why not?" There was a challenge in Levi's voice, crossing his arms as they walked, still hanging close to his handler's side. "This is where you last saw them, isn't it? And the Wall was being built around that time."

"Who is 'them?'" Naturally, Eren had been the one to ask.

Erwin couldn't bring himself to answer, though, so Levi replied in his stead, simply saying, "Old friends of Erwin's."

"And they're inside the Wall?"

"I think so, yeah."

The kid's brow furrowed, and he asked, "But isn't that a good thing? They're alive, at least." His sea-sky-forest gave shifted to Erwin, looking confused and concerned all at once. "Would you guys rather they be dead?"

"There are some things worse than death," was Erwin's sullen response. 

"Do you think they have handlers?" Mikasa asked, shifting the pack on her back as she stepped closer.

"One may have, but the other..." Erwin sighed. Nile had had Marie, but Mike wasn't the sort to tie himself down for more than a few days at a time. "I doubt it."

"One handler is all you need for a pair, sometimes." There was something distinctly melancholic in Reiner's voice, and he tossed a sorrowful glance to Annie, who in turn shot her sapphire-ice glare up at Historia, who didn't seem at all bothered by it.

"That's true..." It would have been a tough task, handling both Nile and Mike, but Marie had been such a strong woman... She could handle it, Erwin decided. She could handle both of them, even as Titans. He glanced up then, to where Historia sat in her litter upon the Titan-elephant's back. The curtains were pulled open now, so that the King could more easily take in the view of her calamitous ruin of a kingdom. "Historia?" he called.

That earned a glare from Ymir, and a sharp warning of, "My King."

"My King," Erwin agreed, "do you happen to know anything about Mike Zacharias and Nile Dawk?"

"Of course I do." That had not been the answer Erwin had been hoping for. He so wanted them to be elsewhere, to be in the country with happy, virus-free lives. "They're guards back at Stohess, keeping watch over my daddy." She leaned a bit out of the litter, looking Erwin dead in the eyes when she asked, "Do YOU happen to know anything about them?"

"They were friends of mine back when I was with the military."

It was Levi, though, who had the gumption to ask, "Are they infected?"

"They have been since I met them," the King replied, "and it's been years now."

She tossed a glance down at Ymir, who added, "It's been five years, I think."

"Oh, and you should see them!" Historia gave that deranged little giggle, hiding her mouth behind her hand. "They still wear their uniforms, as if they're still soldiers! It's adorable! Of course, they were dishonorably discharged for getting infected at all, but it doesn't seem like they're aware of it..." She shrugged, her smile falling. "The uniform makes them more intimidating, though, so I don't really mind it, I suppose."

"I had no idea they were even still alive..." Erwin's eyes met Levi's for a second, and the little brunette gave a nod. "It really was them at the feast..."

"Of course it was!" Historia's eyes saw too much as she gazed at Erwin. She didn't see HIM, she saw THROUGH him. It was unsettling. "I had no idea you were anything to them, though..."

To that, Erwin said nothing.

"I knew something's been going on with them, though," she said a bit too casually. "Nile's been sulkier than usual, and Mike's been so worried... The way he was looking at you at the feast, I figured there was something going on..." 

For an instant, her eyes roved, and it took everything Erwin had not to recoil from that penetrating tanzanite gaze. How such a tiny, pretty girl could manage to be so intimidating was beyond him.

At his side, Levi stepped closer, a low growl catching in his throat. He knew better than to let it out.

"You're HIM, aren't you?" Historia sounded amused by that, falling back into the litter without the slightest bit of the grace that seemed to permeate her every move, and a wicked little chuckle bubbled past her lips. "You're the one who left them!"

"Yes." It hurt to admit it, even now. They had been his friends, the closest thing he'd had to family since his father had died when he was a teenager, and he had up and left them. So much for comradery. True, the life he had built with Levi had been entirely worth it, but there was still a stabbing pain when he was forced to confess to that crime.

"They were absolutely distraught when you left, I've been told." There was a sort of frigid glee in Historia's voice when she spoke. 

"That's enough," came Levi's growl, though the King ignored him. It didn't come as a surprise.

"Mike is a pretty laid-back guy, but he's still bothered by it, even now. He wouldn't even tell me your name." Historia eyed Erwin as she told the tale, her gaze sharp and critical. "And Nile... Oh, he pitched a fit like you wouldn't believe. That was when he got infected, he told me himself. He went home afterwards, thinking he could just wait it out, that he was strong enough to combat the virus on his own. That was a mistake, you see. He had some pretty fiancée waiting on him, and he just..." She made a messy slurping sound, and that was enough.

"He would never hurt Marie," was all Erwin could bring himself to say. It was all a lie, it had to be. 

"Well, it wasn't just Marie." 

And suddenly Erwin's eyes were wide, his voice hoarse. That couldn't be. "The baby..." THAT COULDN'T BE. 

Historia gave a curt nod at that, agreeing, "The baby." 

"He would never..." Something was caught in Erwin's chest, a ghostly presence wrapping around his heart and squeezing, squeezing. Nile would never, even if he had been infected, he would never... Would he?

At his side, Levi moved closer again, the pill bottle forgotten in his pocket, both hands coming to clutch at the blonde's bicep, resting his head against the other's shoulder as best he could with the massive difference in their heights. "You can't believe anything she says." His voice was a low thing, as soothing as could be. "Not a single word."

"I don't." It was a lie, and the shakiness in Erwin's voice made it incredibly obvious.

"They think you're dead, actually," the King said. That much, at least, was believable. "Figured you were killed by the military for going AWOL." Leaning out of the litter again, though this time lying on her stomach, Historia pursed her lips, eyes narrowing as she stared unabashedly at Levi. "And you're the reason he left them."

"Is that what Mike and Nile told you?" Erwin asked. There was something almost defensive in his tone.

"Well, Nile did, anyway," was the King's reply. "He's very bitter about the whole thing. I don't think Mike cares one way or the other, but that's just the way he is. 'You're your own man,' he said. He trusts your decision."

Erwin wasn't fond of this girl-King knowing how Mike was. It felt almost sacrilegious for her to speak his name, let alone to quote his words.

"He owns a human, you know." Historia shrugged her shoulders, giving the impression that she didn't care. It was forced, of course. It obviously bothered her that one of her guards had involved himself with a human. "Keeps her as territory. It's a status symbol, I think. Look at me, I can control myself enough to keep a human in my company, that sort of thing." She curled her lip in disgust. "That Nanaba woman. She owns a tea shop or some nonsense..."

"You gonna do her the same way you did Bert?" And there was Annie, a tiny, stone-cold figure at Reiner's side, though she was ultimately ignored. 

The King seemed to be growing more interested in Erwin's story by the second, and she said, "They're good men. Why did you leave them?"

"It doesn't matter now." But it did. "What's done is done." But it wasn't, really.

The King's voice was nothing short of scornful when she replied, "Try telling that to them."

Levi was the one to speak next, his voice soft enough that only his handler could hear, asking, "Did they actually blame me?" It was a distraction, and that was exactly what Erwin needed.

"As far as I know, yes. I left to be with you." There was no regret in Erwin's voice, and Levi allowed himself to take some small comfort in that. "I gave up everything: My career, my friends, my entire life, for some black-haired boy I barely knew..."

"Why?" Levi sounded almost insulted. "I didn't ask you to."

"You kept Kenny's goons away from me by pretending that you were still going to kill me, even after you'd failed the first time." There was a soft smile on Erwin's face now, a welcome change from that sulky glare. "I owed you. You protected me, so I protected you."

"You failed, though." There was no venom in those words. "Look what happened to Farlan and Isabel."

"You killed the Titan that attacked them, Levi."

"And if I hadn't, the other one wouldn't have been able to sneak behind me and shift them over."

"You know--"

"That it was my fault they died," Levi cut in, and the sickening realization hit that he still blamed himself. "And it was my fault that you left Mike and Nile, and they were shifted over because you were protecting me instead of them. Farlan shifted me, and you took me away, and in a roundabout sorta way, I'm the reason they got infected."

At that, Erwin sighed. "The rage was in you long before the virus was, Levi. I could feel it. I still can. And after what happened with Farlan and Isabel, even if you hadn't become infected, there was no way I could leave you alone."

"It was pointless, y'know, giving it all up for me," Levi said, and there was a strange sort of repressed gratitude in his tone. "I'm a Titan anyway. THEY are Titans anyway."

"I'd still have done it, Levi. Even though we barely knew each other, I loved you too much to send you off all on your own. I love you too much to leave you for them, even now."

"You guys really are perfect, are you?" Suddenly Eren's voice was in the conversation. He sounded almost jealous.

"No one's perfect," was all Levi could say, and he reached down to tangle his fingers with Erwin's, making sure the kid could see it.

There was something like sorrow in Eren's voice when he gave his reply: "I don't believe that."

"If I'm so perfect," Levi countered, "have you considered by offer?"

"Mm." Eren's response was a noncommittal hum. "I don't wanna become my dad's guinea pig again, so no. Besides, I'm a Titan. I belong in here."

"You won't be his guinea pig," Erwin said. "Rogue has been perfected already."

"'Rogue?'" Eren lifted one brow at the word, confused.

"The cure for the Titan virus. But avoiding being your father's guinea pig isn't the only reason refuse to go home, though, is it? There's something else."

"I can't forgive him."

"For what?"

"You can tell us." It was an odd thing for Levi to take on the comforting role, but Eren responded with flying colors, and the world shattered, ripping those colors to dripping ribbons.

"My dad was the one who created the virus in the first place."

"Jaeger created the Titan virus?" Levi's eyes darted up to Erwin, though the blonde looked as startled as he did.

"It was done to save Armin, though he barely survived." Eren shrugged, and his eyes shimmered, though the glow was far away. Beside him, Mikasa took his hand. "It's not easy for someone like me to make friends, and Armin was always sick, and knowing that I'd be totally broken if I lost him, Dad made the virus to try and save him."

"Then something went wrong," Levi said, and there was no doubting it. Something always went wrong.

"Armin didn't take well to Titan, and he had to be locked up, but by then, he'd already transmitted the virus to seven or so people, including me." Eren held out his left hand, showing the bite-shaped scar just above his thumb. "At the time, though, we didn't know it was contagious."

"There was nothing anyone could do, then?"

Eren didn't seem to hear him. "Armin was infected for me, Levi." His eyes met the other's, horror darkening his Mediterranean gaze to a turbulent, stormy sea. "When you get down to it, all of this happened because of me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know "Eren doesn't deserve this!" is a big movement right now, but this plot as been written out for ages, and... Yeah. But holy long chapter, Batman! It seems all I can write is dialogue, though... -.- Gotta work on that. But I'm hoping all this chit-chat is worth it, as we now know where the Titan virus came from. Did I catch anyone off guard? Please say I did!
> 
> We covered so much ground in this chapter! Not only did we learn of the virus' origins, but we get a look at Levi and Erwin's collective past, as well as Mike and Nile's pasts, if the King's words can be believed. I myself haven't decided if what she had to say about Nile was true or not. We'll have to wait for him to give us his take on it to be sure... We'll hear from him and Mike in a few chapters, I think
> 
> Oh, and an important note: I just hit the center of my planned plotline for this story. We're halfway to the end! ...This is a bigger project than I expected it to be. It is, officially, the longest fic I've ever written, and we're only halfway through! Worth it, though. Totally worth it
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	22. A Matter of Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi glanced up to catch Erwin's eyes, keeping his voice soft and secretive lest they be heard and found out. "She says she's even willing to permanently silence herself if Historia finds out about it."
> 
> "She won't have to." Erwin's voice was nothing short of resolute. "We can't let Historia find out."
> 
> "Can't let her find out about what?" Reiner's voice was a solid thing, a brick wall as he stepped out from behind one of the Roman columns that blocked the space off from the rest of the museum.
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x infected Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating overall for sex, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst comes with this fic, as well as a great deal of sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky, and a virus that brought the world to its knees

What she had said about Nile couldn't possibly be true.

It couldn't be.

All through the rest of the sunny morning, through the muggy afternoon and the cooling evening, on even through the smoky, star-dotted twilight, those thoughts rolled on in an endless circle, and Erwin could do nothing to escape it. 

After hours and hours of tense silence, Levi had excused himself to study Hange's note in the library, and Erwin had merely sat in that silence, brooding. 

Honestly, he didn't even try to escape the endless cycle of what-ifs buzzing about in his head. He could reason it all out, he was sure. Nile wasn't a particularly complex man; He'd always been rather easy to figure out. He had been a conservative man, safe, sticking to the rules in whatever he did, and for him to break those rules with so violent an act as devouring his wife and child would have been incredibly out-of-character, even when taking the virus' effects into consideration. 

It simply wasn't possible for him to have done those things.

With that thought at the forefront of his mind, just the slightest bit reassuring, Erwin waited.

It was late into the night when Levi finally returned from the library, the note tucked safely into the pocket of his jeans.

"You awake?" His voice was soft, hesitant, yet still it echoed against the marble and glass of their makeshift bedroom.

"Of course." Though the heaviness was still present in Erwin's voice, at least he was responding. He didn't sound particularly pleased, but it seemed he had managed to puzzle out the situation with Nile and Marie. He always managed to puzzle things out. "I can't sleep without you."

"You're a sap." There was something almost affectionate in that tone.

"You love me." 

A smile came then, and an echo: "Of course." That smile soon faded, though. "Erwin, we need to leave." There was something almost frantic in Levi's voice. "Our time's almost up, and I know I can get Eren to come with us. We need to be out tomorrow morning."

"Relax." After the tension of the day, it was odd to hear Erwin use that word. "The time limit is just a formality. Pixis is all bluster."

"You'd really trust him on this?"

"I'd trust him with my life, Levi." It was the truth. "And besides, aren't YOU the one who wanted to stay here and take Historia down?" He didn't wait for an answer. "We can't do that if we leave."

"I don't wanna take her down if it means getting you stuck here," was the Titan's argument.

"As long as I'm with you, I don't mind."

To that, Levi said nothing, taking a seat at Erwin's side and spreading the note Hange had given him on the floor. 

"What does it say?" Erwin didn't bother to conceal the curiosity he was feeling. His thirst for knowledge was unparalleled and insatiable, and Levi was fully aware of it, even giving a little smile as Erwin leaned closer, a hair's breadth away. 

"The altered version of the virus-- Hange calls it 3DMG --She's been passing it around the prisons."

"Wonderful." The word was nearly an expletive.

"It isn't an enhancement of the virus, though," Levi said, his voice soft and secretive lest they be heard, lips at his handler's ear. "And it isn't a cure."

Erwin's brow furrowed at that, and he asked, "Then what is it?"

"It's a way to kill Titans." Levi glanced down at the note, scanning over the words, though he must have read it twenty times over already, considering how long he'd been gone. "It gets into their blood and devours them from the inside out, the same way the hunger does."

"But then, how did she convince Historia that she had enhanced it at all?"

"Because she did. That's why those Titans, the ones at the door to her shop..." Levi sighed, as if the next words physically hurt. "And Kenny." Even knowing he was alive, it was hard to speak about Kenny. "That's why they look the way they do."

"And if all of the prisoners infected have been killed," Erwin asked next, "what has she told Historia about that?"

"That it's harder to survive than Titan itself, she says. Sounds reasonable enough." His eyes crawled over the note again. "She says she removed the contagion itself from the virus, but heightened the other effects, including the hunger, but that was unintended. She destroyed the formula, though, and all her notes on it. Her assistant knows nothing about the formula itself. Kenny and those other two are the only ones infected, and Hange plans on keeping it that way." He glanced up to catch Erwin's eyes. "She says she's even willing to permanently silence herself if Historia finds out about it."

"You mean if Historia tries to torture her into handing the original formula over."

Levi gave a visible wince at that. "Yeah."

Erwin's voice was nothing short of resolute when he said, "We can't let Historia find out."

"Can't let her find out about what?" Reiner's voice was a solid thing, a brick wall as he stepped out from behind one of the Roman columns that blocked the space off from the rest of the museum. 

"It's none of her concern," came Levi's growl, his eyes blazing up in an instant, darting onto his feet and taking a protective stance over Erwin.

"Sure." Cautiously, Reiner moved closer. "Ymir heard you whispering, y'know," he said. "Said you were conspiring against the King. She told me to stand watch so she could go make sure the King is protected."

"We have no business with the King," Erwin replied, his face a stony mask. 

"That's too bad then. Levi, the King will wanna see you in the throne room." Reiner turned his eyes on the human then. "Erwin, you're coming with me."

And suddenly Levi was snarling, "No, he's--"

"It's all right, Levi." 

The uncertainty in that voice sent a soft, shuddering gasp past Levi's lips, though he followed the order, merely standing and watching as his handler was led away.

On the other side of the courtyard was a door hidden in the glass, and Reiner slid it open, gesturing Erwin inside with a look of slight pity on his face. "I didn't wanna do this," was all he had to say for himself.

As Erwin took a seat at the base of the tree beside the pond, he asked, no trace of venom in his voice, "Then why are you doing it?"

"I don't have a choice!" It sounded almost defensive, the roar of an animal long-caged. "You saw what she did to Bertholdt, and he didn't even do anything wrong, not once. I'm not about to give her reason to do that to me."

"Fair enough."

"The guards should be back from their hunt in a few minutes," Reiner said next, leaning against the glass, the pain in his eyes betraying the nonchalance in his stance. "Ymir sent for them a while ago. They'll take over the watch once they've arrived."

The wait was a long one, punctuated by the cries of ravens in the tree, the only animals that seemed to exist inside the Wall, excepting the King's pets. One of her pets was in the room, too, her father, crouched in the far corner, rocking and weeping and muttering to himself, though Erwin could not make out the words.

He was grateful beyond reason when the guards appeared to take over Reiner's watch, one blonde and the other dark-haired, both smelling of blood. 

The scent wasn't what caused Erwin's stomach to turn, though he kept silent until Reiner had closed the door and disappeared into the darkness of the hall. Even afterwards, he was silent, waiting for the Titans to speak and confirm his worst fears, though the King herself had long since confirmed them. He wasn't about to trust her, though.

"It really is you, isn't it?" The blonde Titan had been the one to ask, kneeling before Erwin, his eyes that familiar, unnamable color, seeing straight through to the other man's heart. It had always been a talent of his. He hadn't really changed, it seemed. That came as a relief beyond measure.

"Yes." That one word was all Erwin could force past his lips.

"I thought it was you," Mike said, eyes roving, "but I couldn't be sure... It's been so long, but you don't look much older at all." He smiled, wide and genuine. "Time's been better to you than it has to us!"

And Erwin allowed himself a smile, though words still refused to come to him.

Nile seemed less pleased and more creeeped out, muttering to himself, "God, it's like seeing a ghost..."

"And all for that boy."

"Levi," Erwin said, the name rolling off his tongue.

"Levi," the other blonde agreed. 

"You went AWOL for him," Nile pointed out, and it was clear that he still hadn't forgiven that old betrayal, his amber eyes blazing bright in an instant, points of golden fire. He hadn't changed either, it seemed, his temper as volatile as ever.

"You do crazy things for love," Mike said, and there was a sort of finality in his voice that silenced Nile, at least for the moment. "I understand why you did it, Erwin. I've got one of my own now, actually."

"The woman from the tea shop..." Historia had said as much, but it still seemed incredibly unlikely for Mike to settle down. She seemed a good match for him, though, bright and sharp and pretty in a sweet, adventurous sort of way.

"Nanaba, yeah." The reverence in the blonde Titan's voice was enough to prove the King's words true.

"She seems sweet," was all Erwin could bring himself to say, and Mike gave a chuckle in response.

"Don't let her fool you." There was that reverence again. Anyone who said that Titans couldn't feel genuine love was clearly wrong. There was no mistaking the love in Mike's eyes as he spoke of his little mate. "She's tougher than she looks."

"For a human to survive inside the Wall," Erwin said, "and a woman, at that, I imagine she'd have to be."

Mike's smile was soon fading, though, and he said, "So that was Levi, huh? The little dark-haired Titan at the feast?"

"That's him."

"He's something else," was all Mike could think to say.

"You have no idea," was Erwin's agreement, unable to keep the smile from his face.

"He seems dangerous, though," Mike said, suddenly sounding a bit uncomfortable. "Are you really safe around him?"

"He was Kenny Ackerman's right hand, Mike. Of course he's dangerous. But I trust him. I'd willing put my life in his hands." A pause, heavy. "He IS my life."

"You love him?" It wasn't a question at all. There was no hiding anything from Mike, and Erwin made his answer as incredibly honest as was possible.

"More than anything."

Mike's eyes seemed to widen a bit at that, though there was a little smile ghosting the edges of his lips, faint and so, so warm. He almost looked relieved.

Nile, though… "All this was for him..." He seemed disgusted. 

"You would have done the same for Marie," was all Erwin had to say, a fair response.

The way Nile's eyes widened, the shadow that passed over his face, the way his breath caught in his throat at the mere mention of her name... Something was off.

No. It couldn't be true…

Erwin's voice was soft, timid when he asked, "Nile?"

"Don't." Mike had been the one to say it, reaching one hand up to touch the other Titan's wrist, though Nile didn't seem at all soothed by the gesture, his hawk-eyes steadfastly refusing to so much as spare a glance in Erwin's direction, dark and wide and pained. "We don't talk about her."

Oh. Now Erwin was the one feeling disgust, though it was tempered with disappointment and pity. 

"What does this Levi of yours smell like?" 

It seemed a random question, but as sullen as Nile looked, Erwin allowed Mike to distract him. He answered with a question of his own. "Why do you ask?"

"Ymir sent Eren to pass on the order to us to take Reiner's guard post," Mike said, looking a bit guilty. "He had this giggly thing going on, and there was a new scent lingering on him, something I've only smelled once or twice, on his shoulders and his neck, mostly. Around his mouth. A clean smell, kinda. Shift and soap and smoke and something like sex under it..."

"He already told me."

"Did he?" Oddly enough, Mike sounded impressed. 

"Of course." There really wasn't much comfort to be taken from that. "He tells me everything." 

"But you're his handler..." Nile sounded distressed by that, brow furrowed as he finally came out of his Marie-induced trance. "A Titan can't trust a handler like that, least of all their own handler... Humans don't understand anything about having the virus."

"Well, you trust ME, don't you?"

Nile's uncomfortable silence was an answer in and of itself.

"You don't." As tragic as it was, it wasn't altogether unexpected. Erwin understood, really. He'd heard the same speech from Levi himself. Of course, that didn't make it hurt any less. "You don't trust me anymore."

"We haven't seen you in over a decade, E," Mike said, looking as though the confession physically pained him. "Are you even the same man?"

For a long moment, Erwin fell silent, considering.

WAS he the same man?

He didn't feel any different, really. He was still strong, still the stoic, brilliant strategist that they had grown up with. Still the iron-plated heart-of-gold they remembered. 

Only his focus had changed. 

Humanity had once been his prime directive, but now... Levi was everything.

"Just think on it." And Mike stood, brushing dust from the fabric of his uniform pants, pity clear in his eyes. "Whether Nile trusts you or not, I do. That's not gonna change just 'cause I haven't seen you in a while. When we bust you outta here, we'll talk about it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, so now we learn of 3DMG and Hange's self-professed complication. Honestly, I don't have much to say about the first half of the chapter. I was looking forward more to the second half, and to the long-awaited introduction to two of my absolute favorite characters, and as always, I have a great deal to say about them, though I'll try to keep it short
> 
> Nile won't speak of Marie, and I think I'm gonna leave her fate open-ended. Maybe she took the baby and he never saw her again, and now it hurts to even speak her name. It'd good for drama that Nile be guilty, but I love him far too much to imagine him to be capable of such a thing, even in the rage-state... 
> 
> And Mike. It's REALLY hard for me to keep Erwin from being in love with him. I ship them so hard, and they're just so good together... But as it stands, Erwin has Levi and Mike has Nana, so it wouldn't really matter anyway. Maybe giving Erwin a reason to stray from "what he can't have" could add drama... What say you guys? 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	23. It Was Only A Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Stay away from him, Eren."
> 
> "What's happening?" Mikasa's shake of the head seemed to irritate her brother further, and he shook free from her grip, turning to grasp at her upper arms as he all but demanded of her, "What's happening, Mikasa?"
> 
> Her answer was soft: "The inevitable."
> 
> A warning: There's a bit of violence and... Shall we say gore, in this chapter. Nothing too substantial, though. You lot are prob'ly used to violence if you've been following this fic :P 
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x infected Levi. Primarily eruri, with a side of yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating overall for sex, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst comes with this fic, as well as a great deal of sexual tension, a Wall that touches the sky, and a virus that brought the world to its knees

The halls of the King Inside the Wall's palace were quiet, even the cries of the Walled city's wild resident Titans muted in the evening air. They, it seemed, already knew of the King's current mood, moving about without the usual boldness, acting in favor of caution, lest her wrath be turned on them. Even the buzzing generators seemed hushed. It was the calm before the storm, and all but one foolhardy boy had known to take cover. 

"Levi?" Eren's voice was a tentative, hesitant thing, and as they passed each other in one of Stohess' halls, he found himself ignored, breaking away from his sister's side, despite the uneasy look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Levi was on a mission; He couldn't let himself get distracted, even by the subject of his original mission. 

Eren, for his part, didn't seem to care, paying Mikasa no mind and falling into step at the older man's side and asking again, more insistently, "Levi, what's wrong?"

Again, he was ignored, ending his chase only when Mikasa stepped in to rest a firm hand on his shoulder, saying, her voice rough and almost frantic, "Stay away from him, Eren. Stay away from both of them."

"What's happening?" Mikasa's shake of the head seemed to irritate her brother further, and he shook free from her grip, turning to grasp at her upper arms as he all but demanded of her, "What's happening, Mikasa?"

Her answer was soft: "The inevitable."

"But Levi--"

"Wants nothing more to do with you." The older Titan's voice was a sharp thing, echoing against the marble walls as he stared at the pair over his shoulder, stopping for a moment despite the urge to get to the King as soon as possible and rip her to pieces. The instant he found her, he would butcher her like the beast she was. This needed to be said, though. "Listen to your sister, Eren."

"But you--"

"I'm going after the King." There was ice in Levi's voice, the gunmetal of his eyes freezing over. Eren felt a shiver race up his spine in response, though the Titan-heat burning within him soon warmed him again. "She's got Erwin, and I have to get him back."

"But you don't need him!"

And that was the most ridiculous thing Levi had ever heard. "Don't be stupid." There was something heavy in those words. In a way, it almost felt like a confession. Truthfully, it was more an apology than anything else. "I need him more than anything. More than sunlight, more than air..." Levi sighed, his eyes cast aside, brow furrowed. "Erwin is everything to me, Eren. Don't pretend like you don't know that. You're naïve, but you aren't stupid."

"I want you, though." The kid sounded like a kicked puppy. 

"You don't even know me, Eren." Levi turned on his heel, striding away before the kid could contradict him, before those gorgeous blue-green eyes could break his resolve. "And you never will. I can guarantee you that."

Strangely, blessedly, Eren gave no response to that, not one that Levi could hear anyway, and he soon found his way down the hall, though Reiner was blocking the door to the King's throne room, Annie standing guard at the opposite doorjamb. 

"Move."

Reiner, of course, did no such thing, shaking his head and saying, "You know I can't do that."

"You really wanna protect her?" Levi could do nothing to hide the scorn in his voice, pitched low in an unnecessary conspirator's whisper. He had no doubt that if Historia was in the throne room, she could hear him loud and clear. "Even after what she did to your friend?"

That seemed to put at least the shadow of a doubt into Reiner's eyes, and on the other side of the doorway, Annie seemed to tense up a bit.

Though her eyes were as utterly frigid as ever, there was an odd understanding in her voice when she said, "He's right, y'know."

"I know that!" Reiner sounded almost pained by that, rolling his eyes and giving a great sigh, running one hand through the close cut of his hair. "But if we let him in, the King will know it was us, and she might even--"

"Get what she deserves." 

That seemed to sway the larger blonde, and he sighed again, his eyes meeting Levi's, gold on gunmetal.

"Neither of us are strong enough to take her out," Annie was saying, arms crossing over her chest, "but I think Levi just might be strong enough."

"And if I'm not?" Levi didn't even want to consider what would happen if he were to fail.

"Then we're dead." Annie said it as if it were nothing, as if she had no fear, though there was a faint glimmer of worry in the icy depths of her eyes. She reached out to touch Reiner's shoulder, leading him down the corridor and calling over her shoulder, "Don't get us killed, all right?"

"All right." It almost felt like a vow, and Levi took a breath to steady himself before he pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped into the King Inside the Wall's chamber.

"You think you're very sneaky, don't you?" Historia sounded amused by that thought, sprawled sideways over her throne, twisting a length of delicate chain idly around her fingers, the gold twinkling in the light of the blazing torches on the wall behind her. She hardly looked like a King. "Running around with Eren behind Erwin's back, as if none of us would notice."

"I haven't done anything with Eren." It was the truth. Try as the boy might to seduce him, he had never gotten farther than a kiss. 

"He kissed you again." The King's smile was an arrogant thing, too dark for her face, too brutal. "He told me so."

"And I pushed him away again."

"But you didn't want to."

"I have a mate," was Levi's argument, the words coming on a snarl. This was sensitive matter. "You know I--"

"Don't think I don't see what you're trying to do to him," Historia said, finally righting herself, pale hands coming to rest on the armrests of her throne, nearly as pale as the white-washed wood itself. Her claw-like nails were done up in a French manicure, simple and elegant, though as to where she would have gotten nail polish in the first place was a mystery. 

The King had her ways, Levi supposed. He didn't allow it to distract him. 

"You're leading him on. It's only Erwin you want, anyone can see that, but you're leading Eren on in the hope that he'll follow you out of the Wall."

"I don't need to fuck him to get him to follow me."

"I suppose a kiss is enough for that." There was the echo of a giggle in the King's voice, barely repressed.

"For being stubborn," Levi agreed, "the kid's easy to manipulate."

"He's in love with you, you know."

"He's a child." It was true. Titans didn't age physically, everyone knew, but few were aware of the fact that they didn't mature mentally, either. Even at twenty-five, Eren was still just a teenager. "A little boy with a crush."

"True enough." The King stood, straightening the white silk of her gown around her. It almost looked like a wedding dress, the top a sleeve of embroidered fabric, dotted with tiny pearls that danced themselves into opalescent flowers. The flared skirt was textured the same way, though it was padded with layer upon layer of tulle. It rustled when she moved, looping her arm around Levi's and leading him to the far right side of the room. "Come with me." Though softly said, it was a command.

Levi's feet seemed to move of their own accord, slow though they were, and Historia soon led him to another tall door, this one carved with the shapes of animals, twisted serpents and snarling tigers and all manner of fierce beasts. It lay against the same wall as the door leading into the throne room itself, though it seemed it could only be accessed from the throne room, and there was something oddly sinister in that.

"This is my gallery of enemies," the King said, her voice proud and strong and echoing as she pushed the doors open.

The smell was what hit first, the stench of rot hanging thick on the air like noxious smoke. 

All along the walls were rotting corpses, piled up on the floor as if they were garbage. Judging by the fact that they hadn't dissolved, Levi could only assume that they were human. Some of them even had scraps of cloth clinging to their rotting flesh, little pieces of olive green fabric sunken into gaping wounds. Many of them were soldiers.

Above the bodies were heads mounted on wooden plaques, done up the same way as the heads that were hanging on the walls of Hannes' office back at the military base. These were Titans, and there were too many of them to count.

Levi took some comfort in the fact that he didn't recognize any of the bloated faces gaping down at him.

"Each and every one of them tried to oppose me," the King said, sounding immensely proud of herself, meeting each pair of dead eyes in turn, "and each and every one of them met the fate they deserved. You can't get away with questioning a god, can you?"

"Of course you can." Levi's glare could cut diamonds, and Historia, at long last, saw fit to release her hold on him. "No one believes in gods anymore. What kinda god would let something like Titan happen to the world?"

"A vengeful god." And suddenly she no longer seemed present, twining her hands together at her chest, a mockery of prayer. "That's the kind I plan to be."

"Wonderful."

"I will cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war." Historia's smile was radiant. "Or the Titans of war, at least."

"Doesn't sound as intimidating as dogs."

"How about him?"

The King was referring to the beast chained to the wall at the back of the room, just off to the side of yet another door. It was a familiar black panther, and Historia led Levi back to where it lay, licking at one sleek paw like some kind of overgrown housecat. "The black is my favorite," she told him, kneeling to card her fingers through short, silken black fur, and it glanced up to glare at her, its lips curling back into a fierce snarl. "Look at those eyes..." It almost seemed as though she was talking to herself, even with the beast's silvery eyes met with her icy blue, challenging her dominance. "He'd kill me if I ever gave him the chance."

"Before we came here," Levi admitted, "I never knew animals could survive the infection."

"Only the strongest can." There was no emotion in Historia's voice. She didn't care one way or another for the panther's life. "This lovely was taken from the zoo that used to exist in this city. They use the building as a prison for the most violent Titans now. At least the ones they catch." Her smirk was an oddly beautiful thing. "They haven't caught me yet." She stood, regal despite her lack of a crown. "No one would dare strike down the King."

To that, Levi said nothing, praying that his intentions to do so didn't show on his face.

Historia's eyes took on the Titan-glow as she spoke next. "I have the Titan virus, too," she said, "and rending the flesh and bone of humans-- And subsequently devouring them, of course --brings me more pleasure than you could possibly imagine." She took a step toward him, slow and cautious and strangely tempting. "More than I get from being with Ymir, more than you could ever get from being with Erwin." There was a knowing look in her eyes when she added, "More than you get from fooling around with Eren."

"We haven't--"

"Done anything but kissed, I know." She rolled her eyes, though her irritation was soon forgotten. "You are beautiful, Levi, and you are strong. There is pleasure in simply looking at you, but what I want more than anything is to see you let loose."

"Why?" 

"I've never felt the rage as strong as it is in you," she said, shrugging in an attempt at nonchalance, though her desire to see him let himself go was almost overwhelming. "Show it to me, won't you? Show me the rage."

"No."

"Let the Titan in you loose, and I'll give you the boy." She held her hand out to him. "Deal?"

Again, Levi refused: "No."

Christ, it was a tempting offer, though. It wasn't that simple, Levi was sure of it. Simply letting loose wouldn't be enough to satisfy the girl-King's lust for blood. There was more; There had to be more. Did she intend for him to fight the panther?

"That's too bad." Historia didn't sound at all disappointed. "I guess I'll have to settle for a show."

The second set of doors were pushed open then, and Levi felt the breath leave his lungs. 

At the center of the little room was a Roman column, and tied to it was Erwin, his wrists bound behind his back, the scene set out before a threadbare burgundy settee.

In an instant, Levi was at his handler's side, running warm hands over cool skin and through blood-stained hair. "Erwin?" His voice was a whisper, soft and desperate as he slid his thumb along the cut marring one sharp cheekbone. "Can you hear me?"

For a long moment, there was no response but a widening of sapphire blue eyes. With the blood staining his cheeks, they looked almost unnaturally blue, contrasting too sharply with the blood-deprived pallor of his skin. They were unfocused, hazy, and he swallowed, licking his lips, chest heaving, blood pounding wildly just beneath the skin, out over his skin.

"Answer me!" There was nothing Levi could do to keep the panic from his voice, and that, at least, seemed to shake Erwin from his stupor. 

Though his voice was hoarse, the older man managed to force out a soft, "I'm all right."

It was a lie. 

Not too far from Erwin's side, leaning against the column, was Ymir, smirking as she watched the Titan/handler pair, stepping over to her mate's side.

"What did you do to him?" Levi's eyes didn't leave Erwin's face as he spoke. There were a number of long, deep gashes along the blonde's neck, his coat gone and his shirt ripped open. The cuts along his chest seemed fresher, some still bleeding, some crusted over. Deep though they were, painful though they were, it didn't seem as though any of the wounds would be fatal, so long as they were properly cared for. Leaning in to press his lips to Erwin's pain-furrowed brow, Levi let a soft growl work its way up his throat. It was an attempt at comfort for his mate: That bitch will pay for this, I promise.

Erwin actually seemed to relax a bit in response.

"I just roughed him up a bit!" Ymir sounded pleased with herself, winding one arm around the King's waist and pulling her close. "But don't worry, I didn't shift him over." Her smirk was a wolfish, vicious thing. "I'll leave that to you."

"I won't do it."

"Why not?" Historia seemed genuinely confused by that, one brow lifting as she watched Levi's hands glide over the torn flesh of Erwin's shoulders. "He's only your handler." She slurred out that last word like a curse.

"Exactly."

Historia's brow creased at that, disturbed and disgusted. "All a handler is is a human who holds a Titan hostage."

"I'm no hostage."

"The way you look at him, you'd give anything up for him. You'd give up EVERYTHING for him. All he'd have to do is ask." Historia sounded sickened by the whole arrangement. "He's in complete control of you."

"I'd give up everything for him, yeah." For a moment, Levi's eyes met Erwin's. "It's because I love him." It took all he had to break away from that hazy cerulean gaze, tossing a blazing glare over his shoulder, pinning the King in place with it. "Not that that's anything a monster like you would understand."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get a bit more Reiner and Annie in this chapter, as well as some Eren and Mikasa. Reiner is best, though. I love that boy something fierce
> 
> And I hope I got the whole ereri thing out of the way. You people have such little confidence in Levi... Did you honestly think he would stray from Erwin so easily? Honestly, I'm really disappointed about that... Have some faith in him, would you? 
> 
> Also, a side note: Though we have a while to go before the story ends, the climax begins with the next chapter! 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	24. Scent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You should stop hiding." There was something like disgust in Historia's voice, and she settled down on the settee, laying on her stomach, her gown pooling beautifully around her. She looked like a princess. "You are a Titan, Levi. Humanity isn't something Titans have. It's what makes us what we are."
> 
> "I'm not hiding," was Levi's snapped response, though his eyes refused to leave Erwin's blood-streaked face. The scent was getting to him, coppery and warm, settling in his chest and burning him alive. It was absolutely delicious, and he was certain his eyes were aglow with the hunger by now.
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

"You should stop hiding." There was something like disgust in Historia's voice, and she settled down on the settee, laying on her stomach, her gown pooling beautifully around her. She looked like a princess. "You are a Titan, Levi. Humanity isn't something Titans have. It's what makes us what we are."

"I'm not hiding," was Levi's snapped response, though his eyes refused to leave Erwin's blood-streaked face. The scent was getting to him, coppery and warm, settling in his chest and burning him alive. It was absolutely delicious, and he was certain his eyes were aglow with the hunger by now.

"Show me your scars."

"No." Even now, he refused to look away.

"Ymir?"

And the she-Titan was upon him, grasping his wrists in one hand behind his back, pinning his chest to Erwin's, and the blonde winced. "Like what you see?" Ymir's voice was a sharp rasp at the smaller Titan's ear as she ripped the band of black fabric away from the scarred ruin of his right arm, snickering when she saw his fists clench in response. "You aren't human anymore," she said when the deed was done, shoving him away, knocking the breath from his lungs as well as his handler's, the cloth clutched tight in her hand. "Stop pretending you are."

"I'm not pretending to be human," was Levi's response, coming on a deep growl, carefully placing himself between his handler and the two she-Titans. "But just 'cause I'm a Titan doesn't mean I hafta be a monster like you two."

"Doesn't it, though?" Historia smiled when her mate offered the scrap of black fabric to her, and she brought it to her nose, breathing deep. "You ARE a monster, Levi. I can smell the rage on you from a mile away."

"Good for you."

That seemed to irritate the King just a bit, though she was quick to hide it. Anger was such an unladylike emotion. "Oh, it's not just me!" Her smile was strangely fierce. "It's good for him, too." With that, the cloth was tossed over her shoulder.

It landed within arm's reach of the black panther, and one dark paw darted out to snatch it from the air, sniffing curiously. It was pleased by the scent, if its low growl and suddenly shining eyes were any indication.

It was at that moment that Levi realized what the King's intent had been. 

Her smile was dazzling. "He has your scent now," she said, her voice light and airy, spun sugar. "If you don't show me your Titan, I'll be sure that the black is sent after you, as well as my little army of Titans, and none of them will show you the slightest shred of mercy." 

"They prefer me over you."

"Oh, I'm sure they do!" Historia seemed amused by that, her voice edging on a giggle. Her eyes darted over to Erwin's, dark and knowing. "Especially Eren."

"I cut it off with Eren," was Levi's response.

"Did you now?" That, too, pleased her, and another giggle slipped past her lips, like the tittering of a songbird. "Eren doesn't listen to anyone but me. Don't think he'll actually stay away from you. He fears me as much as the others do, and no amount of fondness for you is going to make them turn on me, not even him."

"They already have, though." It was a challenge. "They let me in here, didn't they?"

"Oh, Reiner and Annie? They let you in because I commanded them to." 

That tone left no room for doubt. Even so, Levi found himself wondering if her words were true. She'd proven herself a liar several times over by now, especially when her rule was in question. She had far too much pride. How typical of a King. 

"My word is law here, Levi. You should know that by now." Her eyes were shard of cobalt ice, cutting. "Now show me your Titan."

It took all the resolve Levi had left to force out a soft, "No."

A sigh passed the King's lips at that, and she seemed to change tactics, asking, "Do you have any idea what happens when one Titan devours another?"

"They say it'll treat the virus. It's bullshit, though." Truly, it was. Erwin had once told him that the Army itself had come up with those rumors in the hopes that the Titans would devour each other trying to become human again. For a time, it had worked. Eventually, though, inevitably, they had learned the truth: That one Titan devouring another made them even more monstrous than they had been before, if only in the figurative sense. "I've seen it done, and it changes nothing."

"I can't say I've ever attempted it." Historia's eyes were blazing now, sapphires held up to the sun. "Perhaps I'll try it with you and see what happens." 

"We could make his pet watch," Ymir added, and Historia's smile returned.

"Oh, that's a brilliant idea!"

A low growl caught in Levi's throat at that. This was no joke. Shit. To let himself go in Erwin's presence was a bad idea; He'd lose all control with the scent of his handler's blood on the air. But if he didn't, the King would kill both of them, and then where would they be?

"Levi..." Erwin's voice was a rough thing, weak. "Don't do this."

"I don't have a choice." He really didn't. He couldn't die here, no matter what. He and Erwin had a plan, and once he'd shown the King his Titan, they would grab Eren and Mikasa and run. That would be the end of it. That had to be the end of it. His silver-bullet eyes met Historia's then, and Levi said, "I'll do it."

"How wonderful!"

"On one condition."

With a careless flick of the wrist, the King agreed, "Name it."

It should have been obvious. "You can't hurt Erwin."

At his back, the soldier swallowed nervously.

"I was never going to hurt him!" Historia giggled out, hiding her smile behind one lily-white hand. "YOU are the one who's going to hurt him."

"There's no way I--"

"Let me finish!" It was nearly a bark. "I want you for my army, Levi. As I've said before, I need skilled soldiers if I want to stand any chance of survival once we're outside the Wall. A man like you may well be the difference between victory and defeat."

"Erwin is the soldier here, not me." It was a weak defense, but it was all Levi had.

"I never said you were going to KILL him," the King said, a disgusting, sickly sweetness creeping into her voice. Judging by the soft gasp Erwin gave, he'd already figured it out. Even dizzy with blood loss, he was brilliant. "I said you were going to HURT him."

"I would never--"

"Oh, but you will! And if you don't, I will." Historia shifted her hips a bit, jutting out her shoulder, showing off the silvery bite marks that Eren had left there all those years ago, all the way up the side of her neck, up to the base of her jaw in some spots. "And believe me, if I do it, my scars will seem like nothing in comparison." 

To that, Levi said nothing, though he could do nothing to keep his responding growl trapped in his throat.

"You won't hurt him too badly, I promise." He didn't trust her word, of course. "Shifting doesn't really hurt all that much."

Ah, so that was it. He should have expected as much. Levi gave a great sigh, turning to face his battered mate, posing a question with his eyes alone. 

"Please," was all Erwin could say, and Levi instantly picked up on the hidden meaning in that single word, in the softness of his voice and the desperation of his tone.

It was heartbreaking.

"I won't do it, Erwin."

"Levi, please."

It was wrong to hear that strong voice sounding so broken, and Levi's eyes began to sting, though he had no tears to give. The virus had boiled them away years ago.

"You have to entertain her, at least until I can think of something better to do."

"I WON'T DO IT." 

"Levi, we don't have a choice."

"I made a promise to myself when you took me in, Erwin." There was something like reverence in the feather-softness of Levi's voice, and he reached out one hand to stroke along a bruised cheekbone, gentle. "I promised myself that if I ever hurt you, I'd make sure I got myself put down for it."

"I'm asking for it." Erwin leaned in as best he could, bound up as he was, nuzzling at dark hair, and Levi shivered against him, thin arms looping around broad shoulders. "It's all right."

That nuzzle had been a bad move.

There was crimson pooled around Erwin's collarbones, in the hollow of his throat, streaking down his chest, and the scent was too much to resist. 

"Levi?"

The sound of his voice fell on deaf ears, and he gave a shudder when Levi's tongue slid against his skin, soft and gentle and too warm, lapping up trails of copper from the side of his neck, pressing his lips to his pulse. 

"Levi!"

When the Titan finally glanced up, his eyes were blazing, brighter than Erwin had ever seen them.

"Are you with me, Levi?"

A nod, imperceptible. It was accompanied by another long lick to Erwin's neck, up along his cheek, and he shivered again.

"I need you to kiss me."

Those words sent the Titan-glow flickering out like a candle in the wind. "...You what?" There was no mistaking the hunger in Levi's voice, and it took all he had to keep from diving head-first into that command. It was nothing short of amazing that he'd managed to resist at all. 

"I need you to kiss me, Levi," Erwin said again, making absolutely certain to maintain eye contact as he spoke. "If you shift me over--"

"All this would've been for nothing," Levi hissed back, eyes fierce and bright. 

"It takes a week for the virus to work its way to the brain," was Erwin's defense. It was true. "We're getting out of here, Levi. We're getting out of here, and we're taking Eren and Mikasa with us whether they want to go or not. We'll get back to Shiganshina and get the virus stopped in both our systems. It only takes a single day to get back, if we move quickly."

"We can't move quickly with you all beat up, though." Levi's eyes roamed as he spoke, and the color of his cheeks and the glow of his eyes made the lust he felt incredibly obvious. He pressed a kiss to the hollow of Erwin's throat, breathing hot against flushed skin, taking in the scent he found there. "Just gimme a minute, all right?" He pulled back, meeting muzzy blue eyes. There was something like hope in that look. "I've got an idea."

All too soon, he was leaning closer again, warm, soft lips trailing down along Erwin's chest, hands coming to rest against his hips when he knelt before his handler.

"There we go!" Ymir gave a cackle at that. "'Bout time!"

"Shh," came the King's voice, and the wilder of the she-Titans seemed to calm a bit, taking a seat on the arm of the settee, tangling dark fingers into golden hair. "Leave them be, Ymir."

In that heavy silence, Levi's breath was loud, ragged. So was Erwin's.

Levi was on his knees now, mouth playing hot and wet just above the buckle of Erwin's belt, hands slipping around the pillar the blonde was tied to, fingers twisting against the rope that bound his handler's wrists.

For his part, Erwin did his best to keep still, staring down into those too-hungry eyes as spidery fingers worked the rope loose and warm lips teased sensitive skin. It had been too long since he'd been touched like this, and holding himself back took all the willpower he had.

Levi's voice only made it worse, issuing a soft murmur of, "You're half-hard already." His breath cooled the paths of saliva along the other's skin, and his handler gave a pleased shudder in response, swallowing audibly.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been?" was Erwin's defense. 

"Fair enough." There was an odd tinge of humor in Levi's voice, and he gave a low chuckle when Erwin's hips rolled against him.

"Don't get distracted now," Erwin said, unable to keep the teasing tone from his voice.

"Kinda hard..."

"A bit, yes." He wasn't speaking of focusing.

A little grunt of exertion came, and then a quiet, "Got it." 

The words were less heard than felt, and Erwin gave a slight nod, keeping his hands together behind his back. The element of surprise was of vital importance here.

"Back pocket." Erwin's voice was soft. 

It was Levi's turn to nod again, and one hand squirmed forward a bit, sliding into the back pocket of his handler's jeans, coming away with his prize and clicking it open before sending it slicing through the air in the King's direction.

"Historia!" Ymir's voice seemed to tear from her throat when the King was struck, the little dagger burying itself in Historia's forehead. "You--"

"I'm fine." The King gave a little laugh at that, reaching up to touch the handle of the dagger, running her fingers along the enameled handle and murmuring, "Stiletto. Military-issued. I certainly wasn't expecting that!"

But by the time the blade was pulled from her skin and bone and brain, her prey was gone, and Ymir was snarling, "They got--"

"They won't get far." And the King stood, ignoring the red dripping onto the white silk of her gown. "Not with the human as torn up as he is." She tossed a smile up at her mate, radiant. "You did well."

Ymir wasn't at all placated by those words. "We need to--"

"I am the King Inside the Wall, not you." That, at least, seemed to give the other she-Titan pause, though it was the sudden ferocity of the tone that made the most impact. "You will do as I command."

"And what is it you command?" Even after so many years, hearing Ymir sound so subservient was a rush.

"Take the black and hunt them down." Historia ran one bloodied hand through her hair, tracing blood through it, turning gold to copper. "Kill the human, slowly, and make sure that Levi sees it."

"Do you want him dead, too?"

"No." The King's smile was a frigid thing. "I have something else in mind for him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This did not go the direction I was planning on. Freaking Levi grabbed that little blade from Erwin (I didn't even know Erwin had it! They're conspiring together!) and dashed my planned plot to Hell. Shit. Seems the times are a'changing, folks. I plan on sticking to the main idea of the original ending, though if Levi keeps deviating from the plan... We'll just have to see where he and Erwin and Historia take us!
> 
> Anyway, I'm rather amused by the boys losing themselves in each other in front of Historia and Ymir, for some reason. They rarely get to touch each other, and as deeply as they feel for one another, I feel it's justified
> 
> Looking forward to the next chapter? Got any constructive criticism or a question to ask? Got just a silly comment to add? Feel free to let me know! Comments and kudos are love, you know! :) My Tumblr name is SandCastleVirtues, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there, if that's easier for you! G'head and hit me up! I also post little drabbles there exclusively, so if you like what read here, you'll find ever more there!


	25. On the Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His eyes roved for a moment, taking in the deep gashes crisscrossing his handler's skin. In some grotesque way, they were beautiful, and he felt the hunger well up in response. Both for those thoughts and his past actions, he muttered a soft, "I'm sorry."
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

"How long do you think we have until they catch up?" Erwin's voice was strained, his breath coming fast and ragged. He was in condition to be running, least of all for his life. 

"Not long," was Levi's answer. "Especially with you this beat up." His eyes roved for a moment, taking in the deep gashes crisscrossing his handler's skin, the vermillion waterfalls dancing down his chest. In some grotesque way, they were beautiful, and he felt the hunger well up in response. Both for those thoughts and his past actions, he muttered a soft, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was." Levi crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the cool marble wall, eyes darting off to one side, shamed. "She's pissed 'cause I'm encroaching on her territory."

"Eren, you mean?" Erwin sounded almost disgusted by the very idea of the kid.

"I fooled around with him, y'know." There was shame in those words, regret, and Erwin took some comfort in that.

It hurt to hear Levi sound so broken, and maybe it was sick, maybe it was wrong, but Erwin was certainly happy to see that Levi was regretting letting the boy get to him.

It seemed cruel to let it continue, though.

"You told me that already," Erwin pointed out.

"That was just the first time."

Erwin felt his brow crease at that, a sudden flare of jealousy sparking up. For an instant, he knew what it felt like to be overtaken by the Titan-rage. "This has happened more than once?" he asked, soft and cautious.

For a long moment, Levi was silent, eyes searching the other man's face, though he found nothing but that frustratingly stony façade. It usually reserved for strangers. "Twice, yeah," he admitted. "When we came back from Hange's, you wouldn't even look at me, and when I went to go to the library and read the note she gave me, Eren cornered me in the hall." He paused, gauging Erwin's reaction, or rather, his lack of one. It was disconcerting. Did he really not care? "All we did was kiss," he said, as carefully as he could, "but there was a lot of roaming hands..."

"On your part, or on his?"

"Both, actually." Christ, this was wrong, but Levi couldn't seem to keep the words bottled up any longer. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to push him away, or pull him closer."

It was too much, to think of Levi with another man. It hurt.

And Eren wasn't even a man yet. He was a child. That thought just served to make the whole situation seem that much worse, and Erwin soon found himself asking, "Is this really the right time to talk about this?"

"Dunno how much longer we'll live," Levi said, shrugging his shoulders as if it were nothing, "and I didn't wanna die without telling you. Felt wrong, not telling you." He gave a slight, awkward smile at that. "I tell you everything."

"I knew, by the way." Now it was Erwin's turn to confess. "About the second time, I mean."

And then Levi's eyes were saucers, huge and dark. His voice was soft when he breathed out, "What?"

"Mike smelled you on Eren when the boy gave them their orders," the elder man explained, "and he passed the information on to me."

Levi's smile was a reluctant thing. "He always did have a way of knowing too much." That smile soon disappeared. "I didn't fuck the kid, I promise." The sincerity in those words was breathtaking. "We just... Fooled around a little."

"I believe you."

That didn't seem a proper reaction, and still hesitant, still quiet, Levi asked, "You're not mad?"

Erwin gave a mirthless little chuckle at that, disagreeing, "Oh, I'm furious."

"I'm sorry." He meant it.

"I'm outraged, of course," Erwin said next, "but I can't really say I blame you. It's been ages since you've been able to let loose like that, hasn't it?"

"That doesn't make it okay." Levi was surprised to hear those words in his own voice. 

When had he become loyal? Loyalty was for soldiers, and Erwin was the soldier, not him. Nobility wasn't for him in most cases, but somehow, this felt right. Erwin was a great man; He deserved loyalty, at the very least. He was the greatest man there was, after all. He was the only one in their whole shithole of a world that mattered. 

"I shouldn't have let him get anywhere near me. It was a mistake, all of it."

"I don't blame you, Levi." Somehow, that was the truth. It wasn't Levi's fault. Titans were known for having rather poor self-control. 

Levi's next words came on a dejected sigh: "But I do."

Erwin's next words were entirely unexpected: "Look out!"

The breath was stolen from Levi's lungs when Erwin's back pressed against his chest, pinning him to the wall, protective, even when he himself was half-dead. 

Levi had to squirm to one side to even see what was going on.

At the other end of the hall stood Nile, his face dark, and Mike soon stalked up to his side, though he seemed far more at ease than the other Titan. That wasn't a surprise.

"Are they down there?" It was Reiner's voice, and Nile turned toward it, looking conflicted.

He said nothing, merely chewing on his lower lip, eyes darting from the hall, to Erwin, to Levi, and then back again.

"Nope!"

Erwin smiled when Mike's voice came.

"They musta gone the other way," Mike called, giving a smile of his own, warm and wide. "I don't even smell 'em. Don't think they came this way at all. Take the black down the other hall. That's where we'll find 'em, I'd bet."

When Nile turned away, back to the group, Mike offered a salute and a smile to the other blonde. And then they were gone, voices fading down the corridor.

The smile on Erwin's lips faded when Levi nuzzled at the back of his shoulder, murmuring, "You smell really good." There was lust in his voice. When Erwin pulled away, though, the glow refused to fade. 

Erwin couldn't even form words.

Levi was absolutely stunning, his eyes aglow, his mouth smeared with red, his skin that perfect shade of moonlight, milky and utterly flawless. 

There was a darkness in his voice when he asked, "Can I kiss you?"

"We've been over this before, haven't we?" Erwin asked, his words catching in his throat. "Not until we get you well."

That, at least, seemed to darken Levi's eyes a bit, and he took a step back, pressing himself into the wall and muttering out a strained, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" the playfulness in Erwin's voice was almost vulgar. 

"For getting you hurt."

And the playfulness was gone.

"I'm sorry for getting you hurt," Levi said again. "It was the last thing I wanted, the last thing I'd ever want, and I'm really fucking sorry."

"I'm not," was Erwin's counter, and Levi gave a visible wince. "She'd have killed us both if you hadn't submitted."

"That, or she'd have eaten us," Levi added, finally relaxing a bit, and Erwin's lips lifted.

"That seems more likely, I think," he agreed.

A moment passed in silence, and Levi felt his eyes drifting to his handler's lips again. They were always so soft, so warm, and there was a perfect drop of blood at the corner of Erwin's mouth, a shining ruby nestled against silken lips. Though he felt he already knew the answer, Levi asked, his voice soft, "Can I lick you?"

"Lick me?" It sounded absurd, and a worried chuckle caught itself in Erwin's throat.

"You smell like blood," Levi was saying, his eyes dark, "and I really just wanna lick you." One spidery hand darted out, tracing one of the cuts along his handler's chest, almost ludicrously gentle. "Just lemme have a li'l taste, huh?"

"Absolutely not."

"But I want you."

It was the truth, Erwin had no doubt of that, and he responded with a truth of his own saying, "Once we get you treated, you can lick me as much as you like, wherever you like."

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you?"

The finality in those words seemed to clear the fog over Levi's mind, and he said, "You need to get away from me, Erwin."

That wasn't the reaction Erwin had been expecting. "What?"

"I won't be able to resist that smell much longer." Levi licked his lips, eyes darting away as he spoke. "The exit is to the northeast, if I remember right. Go find it. Find the Stairway to Heaven and climb it. I'm sure it's closer than the actual gate."

"Levi, you--"

"She gave it my scent, Erwin," was the counter. "It's after me, not you. I'm gonna lead him away, and I want you to make a break for it. Leave the Wall."

As he turned, Erwin grabbed him, his hand a golden manacle around a pale, thin wrist.

"I won't leave you."

"You don't have a choice," Levi argued, eyes narrowing irritably. "You'll slow me up, and then we'll both end up dead."

"I'll wait for you, then."

And Levi rolled his eyes, saying, "Don't be stupid."

"I'm not leaving without you, Levi."

And for a long moment, Levi was silent. There was such determination in Erwin's eyes, in his voice. It was admirable. It was, however, a wasted effort. "I am a Titan, Erwin," he said, slow and soft, deliberate. "I belong here." He spoke the words to Erwin's wounded chest, running warm fingers over blood-deprived skin, smearing red over gold.

Erwin caught that hand, though, holding it just above his heart and saying simply, "You belong with me."

To that, Levi said nothing, but there was something velvety in his eyes when he brought one hand to the back of his handler's neck, meeting blue eyes with silver. "Do you remember what I said the other day?" he softly asked.

"You've said a lot lately."

"When I was high," Levi continued, his voice going quieter, nearly reverent, "I asked you something. Something really serious. Something I normally wouldn't have had the guts to ask."

The widening of Erwin's eyes was proof that he knew exactly what Levi was speaking of.

"Marry me, Erwin." He leaned in, nuzzling against the other's jaw, reveling in the metallic scent he found there. "When this is over, when we get back home, when I'm human again, I want you to marry me." He pulled back then, meeting startled blue. His own eyes were set, determined. He wasn't going to take no for an answer. He never did. "Will you do that for me?"

And for a long moment, Erwin was silent, overcome.

Then a smile came over his lips, and Levi felt his eyes burn with the tears the virus had boiled away.

"Of course I will."

A choked sound escaped Levi's throat, a smile blossoming over his face, and then he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Levi has asked the burning question. I don't think anyone is gonna be surprised by Erwin's answer, though. Who, after all, could say no to a man like Levi? 
> 
> Oh, oh! And Mike and Nile in this chapter! Mostly Mike. A very brief appearance, but I like to think it was quite meaningful. Mike still trusts Erwin completely, I've no doubt of that. Nile, though… I'm not so sure if he trusts anyone. He's kinda jaded. That's why he's one of my favorite SnK babies, even though we've not seen much of him
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	26. Clash of the Titans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "As it stands," Mike said, "Erwin loves you, and you love him, and I'd rather you stayed alive, for his sake, if nothing else." Somehow, Levi got the feeling that those words were entirely true. "I saw Nile lose Mary and the baby, and it destroyed him. I only just got Erwin back; I'm not about to see him fall apart over losing you."
> 
> For a long moment, Levi was silent, stunned. Then, very softly, he asked, "You're a good guy, aren't you?"
> 
> Mike's smile was a genuine thing, wide and warm, and he replied, "I like to think so."
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

It took all Erwin had to force his feet to move, though whether that stubbornness was from worry over Levi or simply from blood loss, he wasn't sure. 

Slowly, cautiously, he made his way through Stohess, darting from one Roman column to the next, hiding in shadows, easing around corners, his movements as swift and silent as his blood-deprived body could manage. Stealth wasn't something he had forgotten, luckily. It was a requirement in this deadly new world. 

He missed the old world.

Though there was so very little of it left, the remains of it were everywhere, the rotting carcasses of the past littering the ground here and there and everywhere, if one just knew where to look.

Somehow, even the interior of Trost's god-forsaken Wall reminded him of that long-lost world, that long-lost life.

The courtyard was reminiscent of the weedy meadows he'd spend his childhood summers frolicking in with Mike and Nile, playing in the blazing sun or seeking fireflies in the evening chill.

The tall columns that made up the inside of the museum brought Rome to mind, and all its lovely stone ruins. The Coliseum had been Erwin's favorite of them, though it had seen destruction long ago, when it had been used as a quarantine area for Titans, and was subsequently blown to smithereens with said Titans inside.

Even the lions outside the front entrance were vaguely familiar. He'd spent a few spring breaks in Trost, touring the city with his father, and the zoo had been a favorite spot of his. There had been a little lion cub there, with golden fur and the bluest eyes Erwin had ever seen. Erwin Mark Two, his father had jokingly called it, for those eyes. It had been a beautiful creature, and Erwin briefly wondered if it had been the same lion that the King's black panther had ripped to shreds. 

He did his best to put those thoughts out of his head, doing his best instead to focus, though the dizziness brought on by the loss of blood made it difficult. 

Around the side of the building, Erwin passed the King's makeshift stable, the elephant inside resting peacefully in the corner of the little ramshackle space. He did his best not to look at the poor beast as he passed, though he did do it the kindness of opening the stable door, leaving it ajar as he went. It deserved freedom.

The Titan's gateway to freedom was equally straightforward. The Stairway to Heaven was not difficult to find, placed just behind Stohess, pressed right against the base of the Wall.

True to its name, the rotting wooden steps seemed to go all the way to the sky, vanishing into the top of the Wall itself, high above the skyline of the dead city. From up there, the entirety of Trost would be visible: Stohess and the Army base and Hange's apothecary and Nanaba's quaint little tea shop. All the Titans would simply be ants from that height. They wouldn't even be large enough to be a problem anymore.

But Erwin would not climb those stairs. Not alone. It simply wasn't a possibility. 

The voices behind him were insistent, though, and he darted beneath the steps, in the hollow behind them, relatively out of sight when Ymir stepped out from behind the corner of the building. 

"He's around here somewhere," she said, and the others soon came to her side: Annie and Reiner, Eren and Mikasa, Nile and Mike. "Find Levi," she said to them, glancing around again, wild amber eyes fruitlessly scurrying about. She was too impatient to take notice of him, as lucky as that was. "I'll find the other one."

A nod went through the group, though Mike was hesitant to follow.

"What's with you?" Her voice was a low rasp, eyes sliding over his face. She was searching for something, and she sneered a bit when she found it, thin brows knitting together. "You can't still wanna help him."

"Can't I?"

Ymir's scornful look seemed to darken at that, and she asked, "Pretty stupid for you to want to, though, don't you think?"

"He's a friend of mine, Ymir," was Mike's defense, and Erwin felt a smile creep across his face. "Just 'cause I haven't see him for a few years doesn't mean he's not the same man. We grew up together, we trained together… Of course I wanna help him."

"Mm." It was a displeased sound, and Ymir stalked off around the other side of the building, calling over her shoulder, "Just find him."

The sudden loss of Ymir's presence left behind a ringing silence, as it always did, and Mike let the ringing die away before he made his move. He took a step forward, his eyes on Erwin, gesturing to someone around the corner and muttering a soft, "C'mon out."

Erwin, too, followed the order, and felt the breath flee his lungs in a rush when Mike's guest did the same. "Levi!"

"Figured you'd still be here." Already, he was in Erwin's arms, nuzzling against the other man's jaw, clinging close. "You're too smart to do something this stupid, y'know?"

Erwin's smile was a dazzling thing. "I know."

"So're you." Levi's eyes were on Mike now, searching, and he lifted one brow in confusion, though it was quite obvious that that confusion was mixed with equal portions of gratitude and enthrallment. "Why're you even helping us? You want the King on your ass?"

"Erwin is my friend," Mike said, shrugging his shoulders as if defying the King Inside the Wall over a long-lost friendship was nothing at all. 

"You haven't seen him in over a decade," Levi didn't hesitate to point out.

"The way I see it," Mike said, smiling rather serenely, "a friendship oughta last forever. Unless Erwin betrays me, which I know he never will--He's not the sorta guy to do something like that --he'll be my friend 'til the day one of us ends up dead."

"Being his friend again might be what makes you to end up dead, though."

To that, Mike shrugged again. "Worth it," was all he had to say.

Now it was Erwin's turn to speak, and he said, concerned, his eyes downcast, "I don't want to see you get killed over me, Mike." 

"You think I wanna see me get killed over it?" It was a fair point, and Mike's wry grin did nothing to soften the blow. "I don't want any of us dead."

"Even me?" Levi asked, crossing his arms over his chest, defensive. "I'm the one who took Erwin away from you, y'know. He left you and Nile to be with me."

"I know that." Oddly enough, there was no malice in Mike's voice. There wasn't so much as a hint of annoyance in his voice. "But he's happy with you, and that's all that matters. If you'd have hurt him, though, I think I'd prob'ly have killed you myself the minute I learned who you were."

"I doubt that."

"Don't," Erwin said, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable. "He would have, trust me."

Though the disbelieving look stayed on his face, Levi said nothing.

"As it stands," Mike added, "he loves you, and you love him, and I'd rather you stayed alive, for Erwin's sake, if nothing else." Somehow, Levi got the feeling that those words were entirely true. "I saw Nile lose Mary and the baby, and it destroyed him. I only just got Erwin back; I'm not about to see him fall apart over losing you."

For a long moment, Levi was silent, stunned. Then, very softly, he asked, "You're a good guy, aren't you?"

"I like to think so." Mike glanced over to Erwin then, meeting too-blue eyes for a moment and saying, "Get outta the Wall, E. You need to leave while you've got the chance."

"He's right, y'know." 

And the breath was stolen from Erwin's lungs all over again. 

At the corner stood Annie, her fist curled around the leash tied round the black panther's neck. Reiner was at her side, tense and silent. It didn't suit him. "Mikasa has Eren, and they're gathering their things. Just give them a minute, and they'll meet you here."

"What about you?" There was something like genuine worry in Levi's voice.

All Annie did was shrug, and touching Reiner's shoulder, she led him away, the beast still tethered at her side following, a growl echoing in its throat as it stalked off behind her.

Clearly hesitant, Mike followed, too.

The air seemed a little less warm without him around, though Levi pushed that aside.

"I can't believe you didn't go." He didn't sound disappointed, though he tried to. He smothered his smile against Erwin's shoulder. "You really are stupid."

"Only where it concerns you."

"That's prob'ly true." A soft sigh passed Levi's lips, and he curled his arms Erwin's waist, breathing in the scent of blood still on his skin. Erwin was a beacon, as usual, the only point of light in their fucked up little world. "You should have left."

"Not without you."

"Stupid."

"Am I interrupting something?" Eren's voice was loud in the cooling twilight, and he sounded vaguely disgusted.

Instead of answering, Levi pulled back a bit, eyeing the kid and posing a question of his own: "Are you gonna come with us or not?"

"Yeah." It sounded hesitant, and Eren lifted one hand to finger the key tethered about his throat. "With the way Historia's been looking at Mikasa lately..." His brilliant eyes darted off to one side, downcast and distracted. "It's too big a risk for us to stay here, even if I have to become my dad's guinea pig again."

"Good boy."

Those words sent a flush crawling over Eren's face, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, though he looked far from displeased. "Mikasa'll be here in a minute," he said, and it was clear that he was merely looking for a distraction in those words. "As soon as she's here, we can--"

"You know you're not going anywhere, don't you?" And Ymir was back, arms crossed over her chest, looking as smug and feral as ever. She looked downright dangerous. "The King wants you, Eren." Her eyes swept over the third Titan and his handler, and se added, "She wants all of you, actually, and none of you are going anywhere."

"Says who?" Eren, of course, was the one to ask. He was too confrontational for his own good.

A smirk came over Ymir's face in response, fierce and lovely. "Well, says me, for one." She put her hands on her hips, her grin widening into something fearsome. "You know you don't stand a chance against me. You never have."

But when Eren moved to charge, Levi was suddenly at his side, gripping his upper arm, eyes dark and somber, whispering out a soft, "Don't."

It had been a bad move, though, leaving Erwin's side, for now Ymir was there instead, a familiar stiletto blade held to the blonde's throat, and she growled out a low, "Don't move, or he dies. You're both for the King."

"We belong to each other," came Erwin's voice, low and dark, his eyes shards of sea-colored ice, Antarctic. "Your so-called King has no claim over either of us."

"You're annoying." The blade pressed closer to golden skin, a rivulet of crimson sliding from beneath it, the luscious scent of it sending sparks out into the air. Erwin gasped against the feeling, hands clenching into useless fists at his sides. "And, y'know, I'm actually under orders to kill you." She shoved him away then, flat onto his wounded chest in the dirt, tossing the stiletto aside. He turned just fast enough for her to land astride his hips. She was on him, teeth bared, eyes aglow, snarling like the beast she was. Her fingers tangled into the silken gold of his hair, jerking his head back and exposing the soft, vulnerable skin of his throat.

In the blink of an eye, Levi was on her, tossing her aside like a rag doll, and she bounced back near-immediately.

No sooner than an instant later, her nails slashed across Levi's throat, sending a gush of garnets out across the dusty ground, though he returned her blow with a backhanded swipe across her cheek, slicing freckled flesh to steaming ribbons.

Naturally, that was not taken well on the she-Titan's part, and she drove her hand into his stomach, nails cutting into his abdomen, and he doubled over her arm, breathless.

"Levi!"

Whether it was Erwin's voice or Eren's, Levi couldn't be sure.

All he could make out was the pounding of blood in his ears, the scent of his mate's blood in the air, and the rage burning into his muscles, burning into his mind, burning everything else away.

And he charged.

His left hand grabbed at Ymir's wrist, pulling it from his stomach and pulling her close, his left darting around to the back of her neck, nails digging into tanned skin, and he tossed a nod at Erwin. The dagger went sailing through the air at that, and Levi twirled the blade around his fingers, slicing through the nape of the she-Titan's neck, severing the spinal cord, and she shuddered out her last breath, her knees buckling beneath her. 

When Levi finally released her, she fell limp to the ground.

It took all the will Levi had left not to rip a mouthful of flesh from her body before it all dissolved away. It was even harder to resist Erwin's scent when he pulled him to his chest.

A distraction soon came in the form of a songbird voice and icy skin and a pair of wide cobalt eyes.

There was fury in the King's voice when she demanded, "What have you done?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've just killed a character that I love. Yeah. Didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did. At least she went down fighting. But Ymir's death is an important plot point, and trust me, she isn't dying in vain. I love her too much to let that happen. Historia does, too, I'm sure
> 
> Also, lots and lots of Mike in this chapter. The man is an angel, and I absolutely adore him. Honestly, though I write more for Erwin than anyone else, Mike is actually my favorite SnK character. He and Erwin and Jean and Armin and Ymir are absolutely irreplaceable
> 
> Oh, but how was the action? I'm not really accustomed to writing such things, so any advice and/or constructive criticism in the area is very much appreciated! 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	27. Blood Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What have you done?" The King's voice was the very sound of thunder, booming through the twilit silence, sharp as lightning and twice as fierce. 
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

"What have you done?" The King's voice was the very sound of thunder, booming through the twilit silence, sharp as lightning and twice as fierce. 

But it wasn't her voice that garnered the biggest reaction.

At her left side was Annie, the King's fingers tangled into her golden hair, dragging her along like a disobedient dog. The taller she-Titan was growling as they moved, snarling like the beast she was, and Eren tensed, his hands fisted so tightly that the wounds his nails left in his palms had already taken to steaming themselves closed. 

Wrapped around the King's right hand was the length of heavy chain that acted as the leash that tethered her beloved panther, and it strutted proudly at her side, a golden-haired head in its mouth, bloodied and steaming and swollen beyond recognition. 

Both Levi and Erwin got the feeling they knew exactly who that head belonged to.

Historia stepped closer to the steaming mass of flesh that had once been her mate, bending over a bit and asking, "Ymir?"

The corpse, naturally, offered no response, only giving off the soft hiss of evaporating flesh.

The King glanced up and again, quietly this time, her voice barely a breath, she asked, "What have you done?"

"She tried to kill my mate," was Levi's response, his voice cold, still half-hidden in a tight embrace against Erwin's chest. The blonde's arms tightened around him when he spoke, protective. "She got what she deserved."

Those words lit an azure flame behind the King's sapphire eyes, and they dropped again. "This is a joke, I assure you." 

She sounded so sure of her assessment-- In an odd way, it was heart wrenching. Erwin almost found himself feeling sorry for her, though did his best to push that thought aside. 

Historia was a monster. 

She didn't deserve pity, least of all from her prey.

"Ymir is a trickster," she was saying, her eyes darting from Levi's sparkling silver gaze to Ymir's matte, rolled-back gold. "She always has been. There's no way a weakling like you could have managed to take her out."

The corpse had nearly been reduced to the bone now along the back of the neck, stark white in contrast with golden, freckled skin, though that skin had already grayed.

"This is a joke, isn't it?"

Silence.

"Ymir?" Historia's voice was soft now, and there was something like uncertainty rising in her eyes, draining the color from her face. Her skin was as paper-white as her mate's rapidly dissolving bone. "This IS a joke, isn't it, Ymir?" she asked, the leash slipping from her right hand, golden locks falling free from the left, and she didn't seem to notice at all when Annie darted off into Eren's waiting arms. For an instant, she was the tiny, delicate girl she appeared to be. "Aren't you going to regenerate?"

"She's dead." It was Erwin's voice, soft and somber, and he cautiously guided Levi behind him, though the smaller man didn't go easily. 

"She can't be." Denial. It was rather sad.

"The Tartarus gland has been destroyed," Erwin said, his voice going cold and clinical. "There's no way for her to regenerate without it."

There was a long pause then, heavy.

"You did this?" Historia asked, and the gentleness of her tone raised goosebumps all along the other blonde's skin. 

"I--"

"I did it." Levi stepped forward then, a tiny, fierce guard dog against the ice-sculpture King. "I'm the one who killed her. She deserved it for attacking Erwin."

"You killed my mate." Historia lowered her head, hands clenching into lily-white fists at her sides, sunshine-golden hair falling across her eyes, though the blue rage-glow was still visible through the curtain. "And now you--"

"And now YOU know how it feels." There was a sort of cold glee in Annie's eyes, and it seemed to be taking considerable effort from Eren to keep her held back. "First you killed Bert, and then you gave Reiner to that beast--"

"That was Reiner?" Eren's eyes were the size of saucers now, blazing, and his hands fell from Annie's shoulders, arms hanging slack. His mouth did the same before he seemed to snap back to consciousness. That brilliant gaze found the panther's resting place in the nook behind the Stairway. 

The skull in its mouth was mostly bare of flesh now, no longer giving off steam, cracked by the beast's powerful jaws. 

"If you gave him to that thing willingly, I'd say you deserved to lose Ymir."

"I didn't ask for your opinion!" 

That thunder roll voice echoed against the Wall, the King's eyes set afire, suddenly catching Levi in that midnight-sky gaze. "Levi." Her tone was deadly. "You said that you are the one who killed Ymir. Do you care to repent?"

"No."

"I hope you know you've just signed your own death warrant." For all her anger, the King's charge was surprisingly leisurely, traveling in graceful steps to the pile of scrap wood off to one side of the foot of the Stairway and taking a long wooden stake in hand. 

She seemed unaware of the others as she moved, intensely focused, her pupils disappearing into the stormy sea of her irises. 

"Eren, don't--"

The boy, of course, refused to listen, slipping loose of Annie's grip and stepping before the stake, placing himself squarely between Levi and Historia, between the killer of mates and the King. "Historia, please don't do this." It was strange to hear him sounding so submissive, and the tiny blonde's eyes seemed to clear a bit in response, widening in surprise. She didn't look displeased. "They don't want to kill you." It was a lie, and even he knew it. He just hoped she didn't. 

Judging by the scoff that passed her lips, though, she did.

"They don't want anything to do with you, I promise," was his next lie. "Just put the stake down, and we'll go." His eyes were bright with that fearsome Titan-glow, though, and it was obvious that he wasn't about to back down without a fight.

Historia's eyes rolled at that, the glow lighting them up again, and she sneered, "You shouldn't lie to me, Eren."

And the stake shot out, catching across Eren's chest, ripping through fabric and skin and muscle, flinging him off to one side. Its sharp end soon came down again, this time piercing clear through his shoulder and into the ground beneath him, pinning him in the dirt. The scream it tore from his throat was a savage thing, feral, and his hands were upon the wood immediately, struggling to pull it free, uncaring of the splinters that action jabbed into his palms. 

Annie soon joined in the effort, kneeling beside him and alternating sympathetic glances at him with frigid cobalt glares at the King.

"Stay out of my way," was all she had to say for herself, "both of you."

Levi, still poised before Erwin like the protector he was always meant to be, growled when she approached, though a swipe of her dagger-like nails across his cheek sent him staggering to the side, the wounds steaming and hissing as they healed. 

"You're pathetic." One hand lifted to Erwin's throat, her thumbnail hovering at the hollow of his throat, not pressing down, but threating to do so should he move. Her words, though, were for Levi, her gaze on him as he wiped blood from his skin. "When a Titan goes hungry, they weaken." Her eyes roved for an instant, taking in ivory skin and silvery scars and blazing eyes. 

Levi was nothing more than a starving animal to her, Erwin mused, caged, and in need of freedom. 

"How long has it been since you've eaten, Levi?"

He didn't answer, his gaze instead poised on his mate. 

"How long has it been?" she asked again, pressing her claw into golden flesh just enough to well up a single drop of blood, bright and tempting. "Weeks?"

Don't let her get to you, Levi, the little Titan told himself.

"Months?"

 

Don't let her get to you, Levi, Erwin's concerned eyes seemed to shout at him.

"Years?"

Still, no answer came but that steely glare, and the King sighed.

"How did you do it?" she asked next. Her voice had dropped a bit. It almost seemed as if she were trying to sound seductive, though she clearly had no idea how to go about behaving like that. It simply wasn't in her nature. Only Ymir brought the seductive urge out of her. "To willingly starve yourself with a tasty morsel like this by your side all the while…"

"He's not--"

A delicate smirk curling up one side of her pretty mouth, the King's eyes found Erwin, glowing and hungry. "It's such a waste." Her hand slid away from his neck then, down, down to rest against his chest. "He has a strong heart. I'm sure it would be absolutely delicious."

Don't let her get to you, Levi! His eyes narrowed, his teeth grinding. The calm façade was becoming impossible to uphold.

"And the smell of him!" The King leaned in, brushing the tip of her nose along Erwin's collarbone. "Coffee and pine trees and fresh blood… And you." Her eyes darkened for an instant, genuine want flashing across her face, lightning-quick. "He smells like you, Levi. I could just gobble him up…" Her lips followed the column of Erwin's throat, and Levi's mask shattered. 

At last, Levi spoke, hissing to his mate a desperate, "Run!"

"Not without you," came the human's reply, low and soft, and a near-sob choked itself from Levi's throat, hot and panicked. 

"So brave." Historia's hand darted up again, white on gold, moving to Erwin's cheek, stroking along the blood-caked gash her now-dead mate had left there earlier. "You really are a soldier, aren't you? Even now..."

"Always."

Her hand slid along to the back of his neck, her eyes finding his, and it took all he had to repress his responding shudder.

When Levi stepped up to intervene, he found his way suddenly blocked by another Titan. 

"Nile!" 

The taller brunette turned toward the sound of Erwin's voice, but he did not move, and a lovely smile came over the King's face, warm and inviting. 

"Oh, Nile!" Her voice was almost melodic now. She turned to the two who had accompanied him. "And you brought Mike and Mikasa!"

"Don't you dare touch him." There was something almost like possession in Mike's gravel-roll voice, his indescribable eyes on fire. "You've killed enough--"

Erwin was the one to interrupt him, saying, "I don't want to see you get killed over me, Mike."

Those words doused the fire in the taller blonde's eyes, and he breathed out a soft, "E…"

"Just don't." The pain in Erwin's eyes was nearly unbearable, and Mike forced himself to look away. "I've hurt you enough, Mike. I don't want to make it any worse. All right?"

To that, Mike merely nodded. To Historia, he said, quiet and resigned, "Haven't you killed enough?"

"I want this one, though," was Historia's defense, her words coming on a bemused giggle. "And you came just in time for the show!"

"Don't." Now it was Levi's voice echoing, all concrete and smoke, and he shoved Nile aside, though he was in his way again in an instant. He was as persistent as Levi remembered. "Let him go, and I'll join you. I'll join your army, and I'll go over the Wall with you, just… Leave Erwin alone."

Erwin felt his chest go tight, and from it he managed to force out a soft, "Levi--"

"That's not going to happen, I'm afraid." The King didn't sound afraid at all. She sounded downright gleeful, to tell the truth. Her smile was a beautiful, wicked thing. "You see, Levi, you took my mate, so I'm going to take yours."

And she pressed her lips to Erwin's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Ymir's dead, and now Historia knows. Naturally, the King shall rampage, though I liked the idea of showing Historia's softer side over her mate's death. And Reiner's dead, too. That one hurt. I really liked Reiner. As for Nile… I think he prob'ly thinks he's doing what right, allowing Erwin to be shifted so he and Levi can be together. He's not a bad person, really, just very misguided…
> 
> Also, the only way to kill someone infected by the Titan virus is to destroy the Tartarus gland at the base of the neck. It releases the hormones that cause the rage and the strength and whatnot, and its rather parasitic. I couldn't resist giving it that name, given my weakness for mythology :P Because I'm a giant nerd. But I'm sure you all have realized that by now
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	28. Promises, Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was no wonder they called it the Red Kiss: Being shifted stung like Hell.
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

It was no wonder they called it the Red Kiss: Being shifted stung like Hell.

Erwin swore he could feel the virus searing into him as it worked its way through his body, burning through his lips and scorching his gums and melting his tongue, pouring like magma down his throat, despite the fact that he kept his mouth closed tightly against the King's. 

When her tongue slid against his lips, smooth and far too warm, he found he could no longer hold himself back.

Historia gave an undignified squawk when Erwin bit down on her tongue, shoving him away and shrieking, "You bit me!"

"I'm aware." Erwin spat, though he couldn't seem to get rid of the taste of blood in his mouth. 

When his eyes met with Levi's, though, the taste was forgotten.

"Levi...?" He stood, taking a careful step in the little Titan's direction, though a low growl froze him in place. "It's all right, Levi. We have time to get back home before the virus takes effect." He prayed it wasn't a lie. "We'll go home and get us both cured, and--"

"Don't lie to me, Erwin." Levi's voice was the sound of concrete shattering under the weight of a fallen sun, his eyes burning holes into the King's skin. "You know we're not gonna make it home. Not with you like this." Those piercing silver-bullet eyes met Erwin's for just a moment before Levi turned them away again. "Now get behind me."

"We could still--"

"Shut up and get behind me."

There was no arguing with that tone, and Erwin did as he was told, pressing his back to the Wall, eyes catching on the ivory skin at the back of Levi's neck. The muscle beneath was tense, his shoulders taut, hands curled into fists at his sides, trembling. 

"Don't move from that spot," came that gravel-roll voice, deep and husky, shaking in rage. He was literally aching for the fight. "Understood?"

"Levi, please, don't do this."

"That bitch took my mate from me, Erwin." The growl in Levi's voice was unmistakable, though Erwin was more concerned by the immense sorrow in those gray-blue eyes. Losing each other was not something either of them would ever be prepared for, and Levi had come so close to losing him. If they didn't make it home, all was lost, and the chances of them getting back without being captured were worryingly low. "She stole you from me. You think I'm just gonna let her get away with that?" 

"She didn't take me away from you, I promise." Slowly, carefully, Erwin reached out to place a calming hand on his Titan's shoulder, though the way Levi whirled on him in response was a bit startling. He pressed on, saying, as gently as he could manage, "I'm right here. Even after I've shifted, I promise, I have no intention of leaving you. Not ever."

"Just 'cause you don't intend for it to happen doesn't mean it's not gonna happen."

"It won't!" There was something almost desperate in Erwin's voice now, blue eyes wide and almost panicked. "I promise, nothing is ever going to take me away from you."

For an instant, Levi seemed to consider that, lifting one brow and asking, "Do you swear?"

"I swear on my life, Levi, I won't let that happen."

A startled gasp caught on Erwin's throat when Levi's hand found the back of his neck, pulling him down and pressing warm lips to his, gentle and soft. There was no burn to it, no pain, just a shining, a spark, the promise that he was all that mattered in the whole world. There was love in that gesture, though there was hunger blazing in Levi's eyes when he pulled away. 

"I'll hold you to that." His hand slipped, coming to rest on his mate's shoulder and he glanced over his own shoulder at the King. To Erwin, his tone absolutely final, he said, "Stay here." 

And he charged.

"Levi!"

Not even Erwin could stop him now.

"Oh, finally!" The King's voice was bell-sweet, despite the roll of her eyes that accompanied her words. "Consider yourself lucky I was polite enough to let you finish talking!"

Levi didn't even give a verbal reply to that, merely snarling when his hands finally managed to wrap themselves around the King's pale, pretty throat, though her giggles sent unpleasant jolts through his fingers, numbing.

"Really, if I'd have known bringing your Titan out was this easy, I'd have kissed him ages ago!" 

His grip tightened, her skin flushing beneath his hands.

"He's not a very good kisser, though," she added in a stage-whisper, using one hand to block her lips from Erwin's view. 

Tighter. That snow-white skin was already beginning to bruise.

"I didn't even manage to taste him before he bit me..." Her faux disappointment wasn't particularly convincing. "How sad!"

Tighter still. His thumbnails dug into her throat, hissing.

"You might want to practice a bit, given you actually can now!"

He should have been choking the life right out of her by now, but she barely reacted at all.

"Is that really all the strength you have?" Her laughter had suddenly stopped, her eyes a bone-chilling winter-sky blue. "Pathetic." Her own hands lifted, her French-tipped nails cutting into the soft flesh at the undersides of his wrists, and Levi staggered back, clutching at the wounds as they steamed themselves closed. 

Erwin was at his side instantly, watching the little slashes as they healed, fascinated and disgusted and grateful all at once. The rapid healing was one of the few good points of the Titan virus.

"It's funny, actually," Historia said, a smile on her face as she approached, widening when Levi shoved his mate behind him again. "The rage on you is the strongest I've ever encountered, but physically, you're weak. That's what love does to you if you aren't careful. You pour all your strength into protecting your mate until you have no strength left for yourself. That's why it's so stupid to take a human for your mate. It never ends well."

"He's not human anymore," was Levi's growled reply, and the King rolled her eyes again. "You made sure of that."

"You should be grateful," she said, unaware of the sneaking figure behind her back. "If you'd have tried to shift him yourself, you'd have killed him. The smell of his blood lights you up; You'd never have been able to stop."

That much was true, Levi knew.

"You know, if I--" And she hissed, whirling on her attacker, eyes wide and angry. There was an iron railroad spike through her heart, the sharp end protruding through her chest. "Nile, what are you doing? Going through the heart won't do anything. I'm a Titan, remember?"

"It got you to shut up, didn't it?" He spoke to Erwin soft and desperate: "Get out of here."

"Nile, you can't--"

"Just go." Nile's smile was a pained, broken thing, and it nearly broke Erwin's heart to look at it. "I've been looking for a reason to like myself for a long time. Lemme do this, at least."

"Yes, that's very kind of you," Historia was suddenly saying, carefully plucking the spike from her back and tossing it aside. It struck Mikasa's right knee with a sickening crunch, and she fell against her brother's side. "But I don't think any of you are going anywhere."

"Real smart." Mike was at Nile's side then, dwarfing the other Titan, a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. "I thought you said you needed soldiers? Prob'ly shouldn't be breaking their kneecaps then, huh?"

"Don't be a smart mouth, Mike. It's unattractive." Historia glanced down, absently muttering, "My dress is ruined now, Nile. I hope you're happy."

"I'm still a Titan," was his argument, angry, though he allowed Mike to hold him back. "Of course I'm not happy."

"Titans are perfectly capable of happiness." The King's hands came to rest at her narrow hips, her gaze piercing and cold. "It's your silly morals that are making you unhappy. Don't blame the virus for a problem you created for yourself. It's silly." She sighed then, crossing her arms over her chest, where the wound was steaming. "Now, all of you go back inside. I'm sick of this little game, and I'd rather we be done with it now."

"This isn't a game!" It was Levi, the words coming on a snarl. "These are our lives, not yours. You have no right--"

"I'm the King Inside the Wall. I have every right."

"No--"

"Yes, actually, I do." Her eyes were aglow now, pinning Levi in place with nothing but a glare. "And you know it. I could have killed you a thousand times over now."

"But you haven't." Leaving Mikasa to lean on Annie, Eren stepped into the battle, though Levi's eyes told him to stay out of it. He had never been the sort to listen, though. "You need us alive. You can't kill us."

"I need THEM alive, Eren," the King amended with yet another roll of her shining eyes. "You, I keep around for sentimental reasons."

The railroad spike was in his hand, and he lifted it to the back of his neck, saying, his voice cold, "Then there's no point in me being here."

"What about Mikasa?" the King asked, and the little smirk on her face showed that she knew well that she'd hit a nerve. "Are you really just going to leave her here? You know what I'll do to her if that happens, don't you?"

"Annie can take care of her." There was no room for doubt in Eren's voice, his eyes bright and fierce. "Prob'ly better than I can."

"Eren--"

"Let them go, Historia, or you lose me."

The King's eyes widened a bit. "You wouldn't--"

Suddenly steam was hissing up from the point of the spike. "Wouldn't I?"

For a moment, a bemused little smile crossed the King's face, and she shook her head, murmuring, "You always were desperate to die, weren't you?"

Eren shrugged his shoulders, the spike digging deeper into the back of his neck, muttering a wry, "Guess so."

"But none of you are going anywhere." Historia held out her hand. "Give me the spike, Eren."

And give it to her he did, burying the first few inches of cold iron in the hollow between her collarbones, gloving his hand in brilliant red. A roar on her lips, she backhanded him to the ground, growling out at him, "That isn't what I meant, and you know it!"

The grin that came over Eren's face at that seemed to shake her, and he told her, "It's what you asked for, though."

"Shut up, Eren." Her eyes found Levi's, and she asked, "What do you even gain from going outside?" Carefully, she plucked the spike from her chest, lifting her skirt and tucking it into the band of the white thigh-high stocking she wore beneath, lacy and delicate at her thighs, nearly the same shade as her snowy skin. "You're both Titans now. I've done you a service: You can be together properly now. There's no reason to go outside, save to conquer it for your King."

"You aren't my King."

Historia's face fell at that, annoyed. "So you've said." She sighed, schooling her expression into one of open warmth. "There's nothing for you outside the Wall, Levi. Even if you manage to make it back to Shiganshina with Eren and Mikasa in tow, Grisha won't treat you. He'll turn you over to the military. Your quiet little cottage in the country will rot, and the world will fall away around it. Maybe another couple will move in. They'll have children and friends, and they'll be happy together, 'til death do they part. You're a Titan, Levi, and so is Erwin. The two of you have no chance of a life outside the Wall."

"You don't know that."

"Oh, but I do!" The King clapped her hands in front of her, a mockery of prayer. "You have no chance of a life outside the Wall, UNLESS you come with me and my army. We'll destroy the few human leaders that are left, and we'll rule the world."

"Destroying our food source is fucking dumb," was all Levi had to say on the matter. 

"We won't destroy all of them," Historia replied, her tone almost scholarly, as if she were a teacher addressing a belligerent student. "We'll just kill the leaders. Just enough to leave the humans hopeless. The breeding programs we've used inside the Wall are quite effective, and with so many new subjects, all tastes will be satisfied. No one will be left out." There was a wild light in her eyes when she asked, "Don't you see? Everyone will be satisfied. Everyone will finally be equal!"

That, for an instant, gave Levi pause, and he glanced at Erwin over his shoulder. 

Equality... 

To live in a world where his relationship with Erwin wasn't the subject of disgust would be nice, he had to admit. Even now, even with the world a crumbled ruin, there were those who hated them for their love. It was unfair.

For the world to be a place of equality…

"They'll find something to complain about once the novelty wears off," Erwin suddenly said, something dark in his eyes. "They'll hate each other over trivial things eventually. Hatred is something humans have to live with, no matter who they are."

The King gave a grin at that: "We aren't humans."

"You were once."

"Be that as it may--" 

The blade slashed in unseen, a flash of silver and a whirring buzz, straight through the King's jugular, slicing deep into snow-white flesh, embedding itself in the Wall, inches from where Erwin stood.

"Who...?" Cobalt eyes burned bright, though it quickly subsided when she asked, very softly, "It wasn't one of you, was it?"

"Not one of them, no."

Levi felt a gasp pull itself from his throat, a smile blooming across his face when their savior stepped around the side of the building, smiling her dazzling smile, the falling sunlight playing brightly in her ginger-gold hair.

"That was me," she said, turning that smile on the only two faces she recognized. Another blade, thin and light, an exact match to the one now embedded in the Wall, slid from her sleeve into her hand. "Sorry about that. I'm a bit rusty, I guess."

"Who are you?" It was nothing short of a command.

"Glad you asked!" She smiled again, and from behind her stepped Hange and Moblit and Kenny, unleashed. "I'm the one who brought reinforcements."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, can you guess who their savior is? Think way back to one of the first few chapters! She wasn't originally supposed to get inside the Wall, but she'll be explained. I mentioned that she had a contact inside the Wall, didn't I? We'll soon learn who that contact is, too! 
> 
> "I've been looking for a reason to like myself for a long time," was taken from Thirteen Ghosts, by the way. Great movie. One of my favorites, actually. And with what Nile did when he was a fledgling, it seemed a fitting line for him
> 
> Oh, oh! And the boys finally kissed! It was rather chaste, but I don't think Levi would want his and Erwin's first full-on kiss to be in front of a bunch of hungry Titans. I really wish the circumstances had been better for them, though… Poor babbies…
> 
> A side note: We're nearing the end of the story. Like, there are a maximum of five chapters left, so long as Levi doesn't throw a wrench into the plot again. He likes doing that…
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	29. King Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fear on Petra's face was heartbreaking, and she backed away. Her eyes found Levi, and there was something like accusation in her glare. Very softly, she asked, "Did you do this, Levi?"
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past

"Petra!" 

It was nearly a command, and she turned toward it immediately, looking a bit surprised by the rage carved into Levi's features. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass, looks like." Her answer came with a shrug of narrow shoulders, far too nonchalant for their current situation. "You two should have been back days ago, Levi. I wasn't about to let you get stuck in here."

"We aren't--"

Petra's attention was stolen away when the King cleared her throat, saying, "You do know that that Titan belongs to me, don't you?"

"Oh, please!" The ginger's irreverence caused the King's brow to wrinkle in irritation. "Levi belongs to Erwin. He always has, ever since I met him, and it's been nearly a decade now..."

"Oh, oh!" Suddenly darting over to the steaming remains of the King's mate, Hange lifted a dissolving arm, one of the few bits of Ymir that hadn't vanished to nothing just yet. "But this is mine! If I get it back to the lab, I might be able to--"

"Put her down, Hange!" The King's songbird voice was the cry of an angry eagle now.

Hange, though, was not the least bit worried, chirping, "Nope!" and tossing the arm to Moblit, who gave a disgusted squeak and flung it in Kenny's direction.

When Kenny took a bite from the curve of the arm's elbow, Historia growled, an enraged sound, though he didn't seem to care at all. Levi felt a reluctant smile cross his face at that. "Tastes as bitter as I thought," was Kenny's evaluation. He spat, wiping one clawed hand across his mouth and tossing the arm back to Hange, who hugged it to her chest. "Better than Reiss, though."

"You...?" The King's eyes blazed, sapphires held to the sun, and her voice was the harsh rasp of glass cutting into itself. "You ate Daddy?"

"He tasted like shit." Kenny spat again, his face curled into a disgusted sneer. "How you could even handle a nibble--"

"Shut up!"

"Not a very ladylike thing to say, is it?"

The King's charge was lightning fast, and her teeth sank into the meat of Kenny's shoulder like hot knives through butter.

She didn't expect him to just take it, though, and confused, she pulled back, meeting milky white eyes with shining blue. "What are you waiting for?" There was something like awe in her voice, blood dripping from her lips, staining the silken white of her gown.

"You to get closer."

Her eyes widened a bit too late, and she could do nothing to get away when Kenny's hand tangled into her hair, pulling her head back to expose her throat, the other at her waist, holding her close as his teeth ripped into the lily-white flesh of her neck. 

She was trying to scream, it seemed, though only a faint, wet gurgling sound passing through the torn remains of her throat, and Levi shuddered. That sound was more tempting than it should have been. He glanced away from the sight of all that lovely vermillion only when Kenny called out to him, "C'mere, short shit."

Naturally, he was at his mentor's side in an instant, and Petra took his place at Erwin's side, her amber eyes roving over the blonde's chest, though she kept tossing worried glances to where Eren stood with Mikasa and Annie, as well as to where Mike and Nile stood.

"None of 'em are gonna hurt us, Pet," Levi told her, and she seemed to relax a bit when Erwin agreed. "Historia's the only one we need to worry about."

Gnawing at her lower lip, still conflicted, she nodded, even giving a faint smile when Erwin's hand came to rest on her shoulder.

And Levi turned away.

"You wanna take this little bitch out on your own, yeah?" Kenny's voice was a familiar rasp, and it took all Levi had to keep himself from simply basking in the sound of it.

"Yeah," he agreed instead. To do so with her being held back, though... Where was the honor in that? Levi scolded himself-- He was letting Erwin's so-called morals get to him. "Let her go, Kenny."

For once, Kenny did as he was told, and Historia collapsed to her knees at Levi's feet, her eyes burning up into his, blue-white flames.

"Do it." There was a finality in her voice, as if this was to be her final command as the King Inside the Wall. "Do it, Levi." Her voice itself, though, was weak, just a soft hissing, coming more from the gaping wound in her throat than from her lips. It was disconcerting, to say the least. "Kill me."

"Don't." There was something like desperation in Erwin's voice.

It was that voice, of course, that gave Levi pause.

"If you kill her," Erwin was saying, "you'll be as much of a monster as she is." His eyes were too bright, the wounds covering his chest and neck and shoulders too far healed, and Levi looked away. The virus was getting to him, it seemed. "You're no monster, Levi. Don't do this."

But at his feet, the King hissed, "Do it." There was anger in her eyes, but her passion was gone. She was hollow, just like Ymir had said. The King is hollow, empty, like the Wall itself. "Kill me. You've taken my mate and my subjects and my kingdom. I've nothing left. Do me and favor, Levi, and put me out of my misery."

"She's right, Erwin," Levi said, his voice soft. "Look at her. It's worse to keep her alive, isn't it?"

To that, Erwin said nothing. 

There was a sort icy joy in Levi's voice when he said, "I won't kill her."

"What?" She seemed immensely displeased with that, though Levi was far from caring.

"Then I'll do it." It was Annie, though Eren kept her from coming closer with a hand around her wrist.

"Annie--"

"She deserves it, Eren." There was more emotion in her voice than Levi had ever heard, her icy façade cracking and falling away. "She deserves it for what she did to Bertholdt, and what she did to Reiner, and a thousand other things."

"Erwin's right, though." Oddly enough, it wasn't Eren objecting, but Mike, and Nile looked nothing short of dour at his side. "If you kill her, you're just dropping yourself to her level."

"Mike..." There was a strange kind of respect in the tiny she-Titan's voice, and she sighed, allowing Eren to draw her back to his side.

"You're all fools." The King moved with incredible speed, darting effortlessly around Levi and Kenny, tossing Petra aside and burying her teeth in Erwin's bicep.

His responding snarl was a startling thing, deep and fierce and far too wild. 

As ferocious as he was, ripping at her skin and giving his all to hold her back, by the time he managed to fight her off and down into the dust, he was missing a large chunk of the flesh and muscle of his right arm, all the way down to the bone.

More concerning than the wound itself was the fact that it was already steaming itself closed.

"You've been shifted...?" The fear in Petra's voice was heartbreaking, and she backed away, to where Hange stood, the taller woman winding an arm about her waist. "When...?" Her eyes found Levi, and there was something like accusation in her glare. "Did you do this, Levi?"

"I would never--"

"I did it." Historia's voice rang like a bell against the chilled stone of the Wall. "And he's taken remarkably well to the infection, wouldn't you say?" From her place on the ground, sprawled in the dirt, the King grinned, her eyes finding Erwin's, blue on blue. "Didn't you know that anger makes the virus circulate quicker? You've already made the shift from human to Titan." Her smile widened, feral. "Record time, I'd say."

A rough kick to the jaw wiped the smile off her face, and Levi growled out a low, "How dare you?"

A little chuckle bubbled past the King's bloody lips at that. "How dare I?" The amusement in her voice was a ruse, Levi was sure of it. She was furious. "You killed my mate, but for me to take a little nibble from yours is--"

"Unforgiveable." There was no room for doubt in Levi's gravel-roll voice. "Ymir was a monster who got what she deserved."

"You didn't know her." Historia almost sounded hurt. 

"She was as bad as you, a vicious, conniving beast who killed humans for fun as if they were animals."

"WE are the animals!" was the King's objection. "The humans are our prey! Killing them is what keeps us alive!"

"We don't need to kill to survive, Historia." The use of her name seemed to enrage the little blonde further, her glare sharpening to a razor point. "With enough sunlight--"

"If we don't eat, we become weak, like you." She shook her head. "A King cannot be weak."

"You're no King." Levi's eyes roved as he spoke, cold. "You're just a stupid little girl trying to live out a fantasy. Your mate was a monster, the same as you." Those eyes came to his mate, and there was a warmth in the look the blonde gave him that he didn't care to name. "Mine isn't. Erwin is a hero, and a better man than someone like me will ever deserve. Him falling for me, though it was fuckin' stupid on his part, is the best thing that ever happened to me." And suddenly that warmth faded, replaced with an iron-clad promise. "And I will never let him get hurt, if there's any way for me to stop it." His iron-cold eyes found Historia. "How dare you try to take him away from me?"

"It was sheer luck that gave him to you," Historia agreed, wiping blood from the still-steaming split in her lip. "You don't deserve him, Levi."

Another kick silenced her for an instant.

"He'll always be too good for you."

And another. Her silences were growing shorter.

"Give up, Levi." Her eyes had iced over again, cold and fierce. "You will never be good enough for him."

She was right.

"You know she's wrong, Levi." It was Erwin's voice, warm and soft. The promise was still lingering in his eyes. "You've proven time and time again that you're more than worthy of me."

"I know that." It was mostly true. "She's just jealous."

"Jealous?" The word passed the King's lips as a curse, something foul beyond description. "Jealous? You vile--" She glared with winter-sky eyes. "You vile heathen. If you think for one second--"

"I do think that, actually." Tangling his fingers into golden hair, Levi knelt before the King. "What Erwin and I have is something a monster like you isn't capable of."

"A Titan cannot feel love--"

"That's bullshit." Levi's eyes were chips of hematite, dark and shining, catching the light of the falling sun as it clung to the edge of the Wall. "I love him, Historia. I LOVE HIM." His fingers tightened in her hair, and he hissed when her hands lifted to his wrists, claws digging into his skin. "And that's not something a monster like you will ever be able to understand." His eyes hardened, liquid mercury now, brighter. "And a King who doesn't love their people isn't fit to rule."

For a moment, there was comprehension in the King's eyes. "You can't--"

"I can." His eyes blazed. "And I will." 

In a rush, he pulled her forward, teeth sinking into the back of her neck, into the Tartarus gland just beneath snow-white skin, and she gave a weak growl, talons digging into his denim-clad thigh as she jerked against him.

The taste was intoxicating, and even when that ice-pale skin began to dissolve away beneath his lips, Levi couldn't bring himself to pull away, teeth ripping deeper into coppery flesh and chewy muscle and crunching bone.

Delicious.

It had been far too long since he'd eaten last.

"Levi?"

Erwin. 

He was at his mate's side now, standing tall and strong-- A Titan. How the hell could a fledgling resist the scent of blood on the air? He really was incredible. "Leave her be, Levi," he said, his voice pitched low and quiet. "You're better than this."

It was mostly true, and Levi stood, one hand lifting to tangle into blonde locks, pulling Erwin's mouth down to his and sharing the taste of crimson copper on his lips. 

"You taste good," was all the elder man had to say when his mate finally pulled back. 

"A li'l, yeah." Levi spat, willing the taste away and glaring down at the pretty body rapidly dissolving at his feet. The hunger was growing, and even a rotting corpse was beginning to look appetizing. "Long live the King."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some part of me really wanted to end the story here. Just that line-- It's perfect. 
> 
> I've noticed that there's a lotta Kenny in this fic, isn't there? That would be because he's an absolute badass and I love him. Can't wait to see him animated! Levi is also rather fond of him in this universe. He's the closest thing Levi's had to a father since his real father was murdered-- By one of Kenny's men, I think… Unfortunately, there's only one chapter left for this universe, and I don't think I'll have the chance to get further into Levi's history… 
> 
> There may be time for a little smut, though, if we're lucky... Just hopefully no more violence. I've written more than my share of violence for this fic. And beheadings, especially. So many beheadings... 
> 
> FYI, the title of this chapter (King Nothing) is a favorite song of mine by Metallica. If you haven't heard it already, go listen. It's grand
> 
> Oh! And have I mentioned that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr? I actually post things over there that I don't post here-- Bits of Wrath backstories and drabbles and previews and headcanons and such --and if you'd like to follow me there, that'd be just keen :)


	30. Afresh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're the one who killed the King, aren't you?"
> 
> Post-apocalyptic rage-virus AU. AWOL soldier Erwin x rage-infected Levi. Primarily eruri, side yumikuri and one-sided ereri. NC-17 rating for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, graphic violence and language. Much angst, sexual tension and myriad conspiracies, as well as a Wall that touches the sky, a dead city and its brutal girl-King, and the virus that brought the world to its knees eleven years past
> 
> ((For those of you who haven't noticed the updated tags, or who didn't read the author's note on the last chapter, be prepared: This chap is NSFW ;) I said I'd do it, didn't I?))

"You're not coming back?"

The worry in Petra's voice was very nearly enough to change Levi's mind. 

Erwin, though, logical as ever, was harder to sway. "Even if we were to reach the base of the Wall again, there's no way I could ask Pixis to let us out again." He glanced down at his chest, where the wounds Ymir had carved into his skin had already healed. "Not with me like this."

"Honestly, that's prob'ly for the best."

"What do you mean?" Levi was the one to ask, leaning into the warmth of Erwin's side.

"Grisha Jaeger is no longer in Shiganshina," Petra said, something like guilt weighing down her voice. "He lost a patient-- Armin Arlert, I think was his name --and he pulled up roots and vanished. Turns out Rogue wasn't foolproof after all."

"He killed Armin?" Eren's voice was a soft thing and at his side, Mikasa leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder. At his other arm, a look of slight sympathy came over Annie's ever-stoic face.

For a moment, Petra was silent, until she realized aloud, "You're the Jaeger boy, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"He didn't kill him on purpose," was all she could say, though it sounded oddly forced. Her eyes met Levi's again, and she added, "I'm actually kinda glad you two didn't make it back in time for him to treat you."

Levi just nodded. 

"You didn't know, Levi." And suddenly she was hugging him, her arms wound tightly about his waist, her head on his shoulder. "And I'm sorry about what happened with Erwin, but they WILL find a cure eventually. And when it happens, I WILL be back for you." She kissed the tip of his nose, smiling when he did. "I promise."

"Go on, Pet." 

She sighed then, heavy, turning a smile on Erwin as she stepped up onto the rickety wood of the Stairway to Heaven. She stopped, though, when an unfamiliar voice rang out.

"Take this." Stepping forward, cautious, keeping his distance, Mike held out a silver flip-top lighter. "When you get to the top, burn the Stairway down."

Hesitant herself, Petra took the lighter, amber eyes meeting golden blue-green for an instant, darting over to gunmetal, and then to blue, and then she was climbing, ascending high above the city, into the blue twilight air. 

Soon that air was golden, orange and red firefly flashes lighting the sky as the Stairway to Heaven burned, gray ash mingling with white flakes: The first snow of the season.

As the wood burned away, Kenny approached, and Levi left his mate's side to meet him, a bolt of pride shooting through him along with his mentor's smirk.

"Good job, short shit," was all the older man had to say, and then Hange was leashing him, the thick leather band around his neck attached to a long leash wrapped around her fist.

Before she could take her leave, though, Erwin called, "Hange?"

"Yeah?"

"The indiscriminate use of 3DMG needs to stop."

"It's not really indiscriminate," she disagreed, gently pulling Kenny to her side. It never ceased to surprise Levi that he didn't fight her hold on him. "I've only used it in the prisons so far, and they deserved it, believe me."

"I do." She turned, Kenny and Moblit following obediently, though she stopped at the corner of the building, calling over her shoulder, "Feel free to visit!"

"Are you guys really gonna stay here with us?" Eren asked once they were gone, a hopeful smile blossoming over his face, though there was still a faint sorrow lingering in the depths of his indescribable eyes.

"For now, yeah," Levi said, leaning into Erwin's side against when the blonde curled an arm around his hips. "'Til they come up with a cure, at least. Pet'll be back for us eventually."

"You're more than welcome to stay here," Mike said, a knowing grin on his face while Nile stood awkwardly averting his eyes, "but I gotta warn you: There's not much in the way of privacy."

"What're you--" But a single look in Erwin's direction caught the words in Levi's throat, and he rolled his eyes. "C'mon." He grabbed at his mate's sleeve, Mike chuckling as they headed into the museum. Once out of earshot, safely in their little makeshift bedroom, Levi mumbled out a rather awkward, "Can't believe you're thinking about sex at a time like this..."

"At a time when we've won out against our enemy?" Erwin's smirk was a beautiful thing, and Levi felt himself light up, burning, though he did his best to fight it. "It seems perfectly logical to me."

"We haven't won, Erwin." Despite the huskiness quickly overtaking his voice, he sounded remarkably serious, leaning against one of the columns that made up the room's so-called walls. "You're a Titan now, remember?"

"We can be together, though." Those words were accompanied by a soft kiss. "I'd count that as a victory." Another kiss, warmer. "Wouldn't you?"

"Guess so, yeah." 

And Levi surrendered, allowing his handler the honor of claiming him with lips and tongue and fingers, stealing the very breath from his lungs. 

"Erwin..." It came out as a whimper, pale, nimble fingers lifting to tangle themselves into golden hair. "Fuck me."

"Here?"

"Here." His fingers ran down Erwin's chest as he spoke, taking in all that golden skin and the rush of angry Titan blood just beneath it. 

Erwin was the one to make the first real move, though, swooping in to steal another kiss, pressing Levi back against the Roman column, shivering when lithe arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer and whispering love against his lips, soft and secret. 

Erwin was the one to pull away, too, trailing warm, soft lips along the silken skin of Levi's neck, kissing a gentle path down along the curve of his throat, tongue darting out to taste sensitive flesh, and Levi's fingers latched tightly to his hips in response, rocking up against his thigh. 

"Stop teasing."

It was nothing short of a command, and Erwin followed it, pulling back to slide the gray tank Levi wore over his head, and the smaller man shuddered, doubly so when a series of damp kisses drew wet streaks down his chest. 

The breath caught in his throat when his handler knelt before him, strong hands at the button of his jeans, making quick work of the zipper and pulling hard, hot flesh into his mouth.

"Erwin!"

He sounded so desperate already...

"Hmm?"

"Don't do that!" Somehow, the words came on a chuckle. "It's been too long..." Levi smiled, a warm, soft thing, lacing one hand into golden hair. "Keep that up, and I won't last."

"We have all the time in the world."

It was odd to be the sentimental one, but Levi gave it a shot anyway, glancing down to meet too-blue eyes and saying very softly, "It's our first time, though."

"That it is." A soft kiss to the tip of Levi's cock, and Erwin pulled back again, glancing up with lust-dark eyes. "Turn around."

Levi obeyed, of course, bracing himself against the carved marble of the column, a shiver racing up his spine when Erwin pressed him closer to it, his chest breaking out in goosebumps upon contact. 

His jeans were snug, tangling about his knees when Erwin pulled them down, diving into his task with incredible vigor.

The first stroke of Erwin's tongue against him, sent a jolt through Levi the likes of which he'd never felt before, electric and white-hot. His back arched, his head falling forward, hands and chest pressing in against the marble pillar. The second touch, the flick of wet muscle against him was still too good, too strange, and another wave of heat passed through him. "This gonna take long?" he managed to croak out.

"Feel too good?" There was something like arrogance in Erwin's voice, though Levi couldn't say he blamed him for it. 

"Yeah."

"As tight as you are..." Erwin's voice was deep, a rolling growl in his chest, husky. "This might hurt a little."

It didn't hurt, really. It was uncomfortable, yes, but the first finger wasn't particularly painful, and Levi felt himself grinding back against it, needy.

The second one, though... That one hurt, and Levi bit back a growl, though the discomfort melted a bit when Erwin's lips pressed to his lower back, gentle and comforting. 

"Is this all right?"

"'S not bad." A twist and curl of thick fingers turned that little white lie into an absolute truth. 

A sigh pulled itself from Levi's throat, and Erwin took that as his cue, the third finger slipping into that incredible heat, slick and tight, curling. 

And, oh, the sound that passed Levi's lips at that... "Get inside me, Erwin."

"What if someone sees?" It was an attempt at distraction, and standing as he spoke, Erwin lifted his hands to grasp at the little Titan's hips, pulling him close. "What then?"

"Let 'em see." That answer didn't really come as a surprise. "I've waited too long to care."

"If you're sure..."

"I am!"

That was all that needing saying, and gripping ice-pale hips, Erwin slid inside, a rough growl tearing itself from his throat, and Levi trembled against him, around him. "Do you have any idea how good this feels?" His voice ITSELF was a growl.

With the way his head was tossed back all Levi could manage was a soft, "Mmm..."

"That good?" 

The sudden playfulness set gooseflesh rising over Levi's skin, and Erwin's mouth pressed to the back of his neck, he let a moan pass his lips.

"You're sensitive here?" Erwin dragged his tongue over the little Titan's nape, reveling in the responding gasp. 

"Guess so." Over his shoulder, Levi met Erwin's eyes, dark on dark, lustful. "Do it again."

This time, it was more than a lick, more than a kiss, a closing of teeth, rough and animalistic, and Levi jerked, grinding back with a low moan, giving a stifled whimper when Erwin's hand came to rest over his mouth, murmuring a gentle, "Shh."

The slide of a soft tongue over his palm set Erwin to shaking, hips jerking rough and fast, and Levi gasped against his skin, warm and wet. 

Nails digging red crescents into pale, flushed flesh, Erwin pressed forward, grinding deep, and the look in Levi's eyes spoke volumes, dark and wanting and undeniable, all summed up into a simple demand for more. 

And more was given, Erwin's teeth tighter at his neck, hands tighter at his hip and over his mouth, cock driving deep, relentless, and Levi found he no longer had the willpower to hold himself back, his right hand slipping from the pillar to fist his cock, fast and hard. Christ, Erwin was good at this...

"I love you, Levi."

And that was all it took, and Levi stifled a gasp against Erwin's palm, hips jerking into his own hand, shuddering when an unfamiliar warmth filled him, Erwin's breath hot on his neck, hands still firm around him, strong. There was a breathless perfection in it, the heat of Erwin's chest to his back, Erwin's lips trailing over his neck and shoulders… Shit. 

When Erwin moved to pull out, though...

"Don't."

The hand on the back of his thigh stopped his movements for a moment, and he asked, "Too soon?"

"Just stay inside me a li'l longer." 

There was no denying that voice, and Erwin slid one hand up to cup Levi's cheek, pulling him up into a gentle kiss, and Levi rolled up onto his toes to meet him. 

It took a few minutes for the smaller Titan to calm down enough to release his hold on Erwin, allowing the other man to pull out and pull off the shredded remains of his button-down shirt, ripping off one of the sleeves and using the fabric to clean the mess they had left behind. There was nothing Levi could do to stop the shivers roiling through him at the touch of cotton to sensitive skin. 

He seemed immensely grateful, though, that their bags were still here, and he wasted no time in changing into fresh jeans and socks and tugging a gray tank over his head, a familiar sleeve of black fabric adorning his scarred right arm. "You should just put on the coat," he said when he saw Erwin rifling through his own bag. He was currently lacing up his boots, and the look in his eyes was nearly predatory, silvery eyes lingering at his mate's chest. "Looks better that way."

To that, Erwin simply smiled. 

For him not to argue, though... Something was off. 

"You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"I wanted to give you something, actually." Erwin stood, his coat swishing about, one hand dipping into one of its myriad pockets. "I've been meaning to give it to you for a while now, but--"

"There's no time." It was Nile's voice, echoing form where he stood at the end of the corridor, looking deathly serious. "There's something outside you need to see."

Tossing a worried glance up at Erwin, Levi elected to follow, his mate at his side, to find a crowd awaiting them outside the museum's front entrance. 

Mike was there, an arm draped around Nanaba's waist. Not far from him was Hange, and with her, Moblit and Kenny. Eren and Mikasa and Annie, too... The whole population of the dead city had turned up, it seemed, and Nile soon joined them, not far from Mike's side. 

Hange, naturally, was the first to speak, announcing, "I got the word out!"

A murmur went through the crowd at that, and Levi stepped closer to Erwin, protective, and Kenny flashed a little smirk up at him. 

"You're the one who killed the King, aren't you?" Now it was Nanaba speaking, her eyes on Levi, gentle and warm and the same color as molten chocolate. 

"I am, yeah."

"We have our own set of laws here, Levi, and since you killed her..." Her smile was a dazzling thing. "All hail the new King Inside the Wall."

"The new King," Mike agreed, grinning at her side.

Eren's voice rang out then, "Long live the King!"

Overwhelmed, Levi turned to his mate, eyes wide, asking, "The new king?"

"It's how their laws work, Levi." Erwin shrugged, his smile brilliant, glowing even in the moonlight. "When in Rome..."

And Levi looked out over the crowd, still at a loss, taking in the rabble on the museum steps. These were his people. Titans, just like him.

"Long live the King." The love in Erwin's voice was embarrassingly obvious, and he dropped to one knee, bowing low.

Levi hardly noticed when the Titans in the crowd followed suit, only paying attention to the golden band his mate was slipping onto his finger. "Erwin..."

Smiling, warm and open and as in love as Levi had ever seen him, Erwin glanced up with Titan-bright eyes: "All hail."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you everyone! I've had an absolute blast writing this fic, and while I'm immensely sad to see it end, all good things must. While it seems some of you would be perfectly okay with leaving Wrath with chapter twenty-nine as its final chapter, I felt there were too many loose ends left to end it there: Petra being inside the Wall, and Armin (Ohmigod, I hated killing the baby off D:), and Grisha and various other things. So consider this an epilogue of sorts
> 
> And I promised smut, so… Yeah. This is the first time I've written gentle sex before, though. It seemed fitting, though, to be softer and less vulgar when the boys are FINALLY getting what they want, though the biting also seemed fitting, at Titans are basically animals in human form. Also note: Erwin tied to a Roman column and tortured nearly to the point of death, and Levi getting fucked by the man he loves for the first time against a similar column and loving it. Juxtaposition, for those of you who missed it! :)
> 
> Anyway, the ending of this fic is miles and miles away from the ending I was planning. I must say, though, that I like this ending. I always intended for the boys to be together in the end, but this way (With E as a Titan) feels much more authentic than the possibility of Levi getting treated. The Wrath universe isn't the sort where a purely happy ending could happen, I think, and since this ending is a bit… Not really tragic, but not exactly a fairytale ending… It feels RIGHT to me
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


	31. Bonus Chapter: Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you have any idea how hot you are when you get like this?"
> 
> "Like what?" Historia sounded markedly disinterested, the blood-slick panther claiming her full attention. 
> 
> Ymir licked her lips at that: "Murderous."
> 
> The first in a series of little spin-off chapters, deleted scenes and what have you. There are four of these so far, though there are likely to be more added as time passes. 
> 
> This first one is a deleted scene, taking place between chapters twelve and thirteen. Essentially it's just yumikuri smut. Yuri, oral sex, that sorta thing :)

"Did you see their eyes?"

 

"Whose?"

 

"The li'l Titan and the big blonde." Ymir sounded almost smug.

 

"I wasn't really watching them." Even now, Historia's eyes were on her beast, on the bloody mess it had made in her throne room. It was quickly evaporating, though, filling the marbled room with billows of copper-scented steam. Her hands were busy, slipping beneath her silken gown, one hand at the hem, the other at the neckline. She had never been one for subtleties.

 

Her right-hand ignored it as best she could. "The li'l one's eyes were on fire. He's starving, but he resisted. He's strong." When Ymir tried to meet the other she-Titan's eyes, she found that she was the one being ignored. "We could _use_ him, Historia."

 

"He's the insubordinate type," was the King's argument. Her eyes were distant, watching as her black panther, her favorite, her most lethal pet, licked itself clean like some overgrown housecat. The blood that had yet to burn away had shifted its fur from dappled blue-black to a strange, disturbingly lovely shade of violet. "He would never join us."

 

"If we kill the blonde--"

 

"He'll rebel even harder. He might even become a danger to us, to our plans." The King's voice was unwavering, her eyes the color or ice caught afire. "We have all we need, Ymir. The entire city is behind me. We just need to strengthen the Stairway, and we can march. We ought to just kill both of them and be done with it."

 

"Do you have any idea how hot you are when you get like this?"

 

"Like what?" Historia sounded markedly disinterested, the blood-slick panther claiming her full attention.

 

Ymir licked her lips at that: " _Murderous_."

 

That voice was little more than a soft purr, and Historia finally spared a glance down at her mate. Ymir was currently on her knees before the throne, mouth playing hot and wet along the King's thighs, kisses pressed to every inch of exposed skin.

 

"Ymir?"

 

"Mm?"

 

"Did I give you permission to do that?"

 

The molten gold of Ymir's eyes seemed to solidify a bit at that, and she pulled back, though her hands still lingered on the blonde's thighs, sunshine on snow. "No."

 

There was something dark in the King's gaze, something hot and velvety. "Of course," she said, her voice low and soft, "I didn't tell you to stop, either..."

 

The other Titan's smirk was wild, rough hands sliding up to undo the number of thin leather belts that held the indigo satin of the King's kimono-like gown closed, asking, "May I?"

 

"Of course."

 

And the gown parted.

 

The King's skin was all silk, moonlight-pale and glittering in the torchlight. Her cheeks were tinted pink with arousal, her shoulders and her thighs trembling with want, her eyes a midnight sea beneath a moonless, starless sky.

 

Just beneath that silvery skin, her blood was rushing, pounding away, hot and tempting, and it was all Ymir could do to resist just ripping into her to get at it. "I could just eat you up..."

 

"But you won't." There was a sort of arrogance in Historia's songbird voice.  "You fear me, the same as everyone else." Her eyes, chips of black ice, deadly, met the other Titan's. "Don't you?"

 

Amber met with those frigid eyes then, and Ymir answered with what appeared to be absolute honesty, "No."

 

"No?"

 

The next word that passed Ymir's lips was soft: "Never."

 

"I believe you." Historia's spidery fingers were moving now, slipping into chocolate hair, sliding along golden skin, slithering beneath the cottony fabric of the other Titan's tunic, and Ymir shivered against her. "I suppose, if you're so intent on having me..." The King's voice was warm, a tone only her mate knew. "You can continue."

 

"Don't mind if I do."

 

It was Historia's turn to shudder then, spreading her legs when Ymir urged it, those dark hands gliding up to her waist, pulling her down in the throne, pale thighs tossed over golden shoulders. A soft sigh passed her mouth when dark, plush lips finally came to where she wanted them, playing against hot, damp skin, and, as ever, it was almost too much. Ymir's mouth was a filthy thing, yes, but she knew how to use it in the sweetest of ways.

 

"You're already wet." Ymir didn't sound at all surprised, her nails digging into snow-white flesh, her eyes darting up to capture the King's, deep, burnished gold on midnight blue. "The black got you going, huh?"

 

"He always does."

 

No verbal response was given to that. Instead, a lick, long and slow, and a shiver worked its way up Historia's spine, her fingers sliding into dark hair, pulling just enough for it to hurt.

 

"Don't tease me, Ymir."

 

"Would I do that?" The words were accompanied by a soft kiss to delicate, flushed skin.

 

"Not if you wanted to live."

 

Ymir's smirk was an animalistic thing, all teeth, and she set to work again, nipping a bit harshly, catching sensitive skin with sharp teeth, and the King's back bowed, a thing of beauty, a startled gasp ripping its way past that soft, pretty mouth.  While her left hand remained at Historia's thigh, holding her open and wanting, Ymir's right hand slid up, capturing one sweet breast, rolling her thumbnail over a tight, perky nipple.

 

The King's hands were soon over hers, warm and encouraging, snow on gold.

 

A squeeze of hands, a sweep of a hot tongue, and it was over.

 

The King's eyes were pale now, bright. There was a new hunger in her, one that even Ymir could do nothing to soothe.

 

"Go get Daddy, won't you?"

 

It wasn't a request, of course. It was a command.

 

And Ymir stood, bowing, her eyes meeting hungry blue: "As you wish."


	32. Bonus Chapter: Pilfered Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was a terrible idea, Levi was sure of it. Still he followed, allowing Eren to take his hand and guide him through the dark corridors of the museum.
> 
> This one is not so much a deleted scene as an extension of the ereri/riren scene at the end of chapter sixteen. I love the idea of the eruris suffering a trial by fire, but this version of the scene felt a little too… Graphic. And truth be told, I don't really feel Levi would go so far behind Erwin's back. He's too good a man to let Eren get to him like that

This was a terrible idea, Levi was sure of it.

 

Still he followed, allowing the kid to take his hand and guide him through the dark corridors of the museum. The halls grew darker the farther he and Eren moved from the fire, and they soon found their way into the library, pitch black and deathly quiet and so far, far away from the others.

 

Being alone with Eren...

 

This was _not good_ , and Levi filled the silence quickly, asking, "What do you even want with me, kid?"

 

The darkness in those brilliant eyes was answer enough, and soon, the boy was on him, warm, chapped lips against his, strong hands at his hips, pressing him to the wall, and he shivered.

 

The kid was so eager...

 

Erwin would never be that desperate. He was the slow, passionate type, and such eagerness... Levi had thought about it often enough to be sure. When he and Erwin finally kissed, it wouldn't be like this. Erwin would take it slow, pouring all he had into it until they were both gasping for breath. At last, he pulled away, albeit a bit reluctantly. "No."

 

The kid looked incredibly disappointed by that, thick brows knitting together in what seemed to be genuine confusion. " _No_?" he asked, his voice soft. Suddenly, he looked much, much younger than he was. He really was just a kid. "Don't you want--"

 

"Absolutely not." Though their lips no longer met, the kid's hands were still anchored at his waist, strong and warm, holding him close, and Levi did nothing to pull away from that. "Erwin and I..." Those lips were distracting, so soft, and just barely out of reach. All he had to do was lean in… Levi shook those thoughts from his head, focusing instead on Eren's neck, watching his pulse race deliciously just beneath that silken skin. "I can't do that to him."

 

"But he'd understand, don't you think?" There was something almost sly in Eren's eyes, something stubborn and wicked.

 

This kid was far too persistent. "Eren--"

 

"You'd be better off with another Titan, yeah?" was the boy's argument.

 

For a moment, Levi was silent.

 

It was the truth, really. For a Titan to have a relationship with a human, even one where anything even _remotely_ sexual was out of bounds, was dangerous. He could hurt Erwin, he could _kill him_ , not even meaning to, and there was nothing in the world so awful as that.

 

Sex helped quell the rage, they said, giving in one hunger in favor of lessening another. Really, this was doing Erwin a favor, wasn't it? Quelling the rage so his would-be lover wouldn't become his victim...

 

It felt like an excuse, and a piss-poor one at that.

 

The silence was making the kid antsy, and he breathed, "Can I kiss you?" Eren's voice was a soft, tentative thing, barely coming through the fog over Levi's mind.

 

He was sealing his own death warrant, he knew, but Levi gave his response anyway: "Yeah."

 

The kid's lips were so warm... It was the Titan in his system, the virus that was causing that heat, the hunger, the hot-blooded rage... How could something so wicked feel so good? It sent a shiver down Levi's spine.

 

Strangely enough, Eren was the one to pull away first, eyes hooded, pupils blown wide. "Levi?"

 

"Hmm?"

 

"The soldier..."

 

"Erwin."

 

Eren nodded, agreeing, "Erwin. Is he really not your mate?"

 

Well, that certainly came through the fog, and Levi rolled his eyes, hazy though they were. "I just don't like that word. Animals have _mates_ , not humans."

 

"We're not humans, though," the kid pointed out. " _We're Titans_."

 

"Eren." Levi was clearly not amused.

 

"Do you love him, then?" the kid said instead, looking a bit shame-faced.

 

"Of course I do." Levi said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and, honestly, it was. "I just can't _be_ with him. Not the way I _wanna_ be, anyway."

 

"You're here to take me away, aren't you?" Suddenly Eren didn't sound terribly upset by that notion, that stubborn streak falling away into something soft, something needy and wanting. "You can have us both. We can send Mikasa home, where she'll be safe, and the soldier can handle both of us. It'd be better that way, right?" Eren didn't even wait for an answer, swooping in to steal another kiss, warm hands gliding up the other Titan's sides, pulling him closer.

 

Those hands were soon on their way down again, sliding beneath layers of denim and cotton to get at heated skin, and Levi gave a soft growl into the boy's mouth.

 

"This okay?"

 

Levi answered with a kiss, his own hands scuttling down, mirroring the kid's actions, shoving aside layers of fabric to get at the hardened flesh beneath, reveling in the other's needy little whine.

 

It almost seemed an act of revenge when Eren gave the older Titan's cock a rough pull, thumbing just beneath the head, and a harsh growl settled in Levi's throat.

 

"Stop fucking around."

 

It was a command, and Eren obeyed.

 

The first, golden second of contact brought a pair of sharp gasps from both of them, and Levi pushed his hips against Eren's, shivering when the kid's hands came to wrap around both their cocks, stroking and squeezing both at once, and his head fell back, a strangled moan catching in his throat.

 

God, it felt good to be so close to someone.

 

But it was wrong.

 

But he _couldn't stop_.

 

Eren's hands were warm on his skin, chapped lips at his neck, his throat, his shoulders, whatever he could reach, and Levi resolved to simply revel in it, letting his hands fall to his sides, pressing to the wall at his back, nails digging furrows in the marble.

 

"You're good at this, kid," was all he could bring himself to say.

 

"Lotsa practice."

 

Something about that brought a shiver racing along Levi's skin, and his back arched, eyes squeezing shut lest he be overcome.

 

And soon the kid was kissing him again, all teeth and passion, wild and rough and eager.

 

His own hands soon joined, wrapping over Eren's fingers and twining together, snow on gold, and they came together, shivering in tandem, lips on lips, skin on skin, two voices harmonizing as one in a chorus of sighs and soft, breathy gasps.

 

It was wrong, and Levi shuddered, hands coming to grip Eren's shoulders when the kid kissed him again.

 

Once again, Eren was the one to pull away, asking, "What's wrong?"

 

" _This_ is wrong." When he glanced up, his eyes locked with Eren's, the rocky shore meeting with the stormy sea.

 

"But--"

 

"You were holding the blonde girl's hand at the feast."

 

"Annie, yeah." He sighed, and for an instant, that teenage passion was gone, replaced with concern. "Yeah, we're..." He shrugged. "Annie and Mikasa and Reiner and I, we're sorta... With Bert, too, before..." Still, he fumbled for the words. "We're _together_ , but it's interchangeable, I guess, so long as no one touches Ymir or the King. Like Ymir said, committing to one person isn't really possible for us." He leaned in to nuzzle at Levi's jaw, softly saying, "They won't care that I snuck off with you, I promise."

 

Now it was Levi's turn to sigh, his eyes full of guilt and worry and an overwhelming need to just get away. Freeing himself from Eren's arms was the best he could do for now. "They won't care," he agreed, "but Erwin will."


	33. Bonus Chapter: Worship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't you want me?" 
> 
> "You know I do."
> 
> "You have a funny way of showing it." 
> 
> Another bonus chapter, this one focusing on Levi and Erwin and their strange, yearning dynamic

"I can't get you to touch me?"

 

The pain in Levi's voice was almost enough to change Erwin's mind. Almost. "It's for the best if I don't," was the older man's response, cold, frigid. It didn't come as a surprise to either of them. Not anymore. He'd been giving the same answer to that same question for longer than either of them cared to remember.

 

"Don't you want me?"

 

"You know I do."

 

"You have a funny way of showing it." Levi sighed, leaning back against the armchair, his shoulder blades against Erwin's knee, giving a shiver when strong, cool fingers tangled into his still-damp hair.

 

"You know that I'd show it better if I could," was all the defense Erwin could muster, one hand carding through shining ebony locks, reveling in the other's continued shudders. "You're beautiful, Levi. Don't think _for a second_ that I don't want you."

 

Levi's only response to that was another sigh, this one shallow and needy. "Touch me, then."

 

"I can't."

 

There was something cold, something sorrowful in those words, and Levi lifted one hand to twine their fingers together, still tangled in his hair, meeting bright-sky blue with violet storm clouds.

 

Erwin forced a smile.

 

It was far from convincing.

 

"It doesn't have to be skin on skin," Levi was saying, releasing the other's fingers so he could stand, turning to rest his hands on the arms of the chair, looming close enough that Erwin could feel the Titan-heat rolling off him, though it was nothing compared with the molten lust in his eyes. "Spread your legs for me, huh?"

 

For once, Erwin did as he was told, watching in silence as Levi took a seat between his thighs, dark eyes cast over his shoulder all the while, hooded and far too tempting. He soon had his hands over Erwin's again, pulling the blonde's palms up to rest against his bare chest.

 

"Your heart is pounding," was all Erwin could think to say.

 

"Just for you."

 

All too soon, Levi was leaning back against his chest, nuzzling along his jaw, the warmth rolling off him in waves, practically evaporating the droplets of water still clinging to his skin.

 

He was beautiful.

 

Knowing exactly how incredibly stupid it was to do so, Erwin freed his hands from Levi's, trailing down a lithe torso to grab at limber hips, grinding up against that cute, perky ass, and Levi gave a soft chuckle at his ear.

 

"You're half-hard already." He sounded amused by that, one hand coming to twist into blonde locks, guiding Erwin's mouth to the join of his neck and shoulder. "Are you always this easy?"

 

An echo came then, deeper, darker: "Just for you."

 

With those words came another grind of strong hips, and Levi pushed back against it, one hand leading Erwin's to the zipper of his jeans, palming his cock through the fabric, bucking into that touch as best he could without disrupting the rough grinding against his ass.

 

God, it had been so long...

 

A soft whimper fell past Levi's lips when the other man's mouth finally found his shoulder, licking and nipping at pale skin, teasing and tasting the salt-tang of sweat beneath his tongue.

 

Soon, too soon, really, it was getting overwhelming, and Levi's back arched, Erwin's arms winding about his hips and his chest, pulling him close as he palmed at his own cock, rough and desperate, his head tossed back against the other's shoulder. He couldn't be the one to come first.

 

"I'd love having your cock in me about now..."

 

"Not gonna happen." Erwin's voice was low, a velveteen growl, his words slurred.

 

"I can still want it, though." And Levi was nuzzling at the blonde's jawline again, nosing along his throat. "I've seen you naked, y'know. You've got a great cock. Nice and thick, and all those veins..." For the barest second, he let his teeth brush along the other's skin. "Bet you'd feel incredible in me..."

 

"Levi..." He said that name between clenched teeth, dragging blunt nails down along Levi's chest with his left hand while the right scratched at the trail of dark hair below his navel.

 

"C'mon." It was almost a command. "Come for me."

 

And Erwin followed it, a savage growl catching in his throat, clinging close as he came, his grip tight enough to bruise, nails digging crescent moons deep into ivory-pale flesh.

 

That too-tight grip was too much, too possessive, and Levi quickly found himself following suit, Erwin's name tearing itself past his lips.

 

That name was a prayer, worship, the name of the only deity he knew. The only person in the entire God-forsaken world that still mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to include a scene like this in the body of the story, but it just didn't happen. There is a grinding scene, yes, but this is more tender than the one that made it in...


	34. Bonus Chapter: Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one, I really like. Of all these little bonus chapter, this is one is my favorite, hands down. It's a prequel! Sort of. Ymir being sexy as fuck is always good, yeah? Ymir being anything is always good. Historia is not the goddess: It's all about Ymir.

"Can I kiss you?"

 

Historia glanced up at the sudden voice, looking away from the map spread on the table for the first time in a good half-hour. She and her strange, dark guest were the only ones left in the ruined little café, the lantern on the table acting as their only source of light, unsteady though it was. For a moment, Historia's eyes roved, curious and hungry. It had been too long since she'd eaten last.

 

When she gave no refusal, the wild woman smirked, asking, "Is that a yes?"

 

She wasn't the least bit familiar, Historia decided, all freckled golden skin and ebony hair and brilliant amber eyes. She had taken the other seat at the little table without even bothering to ask. A bold move. She wasn't the sort you could forget.

 

Furrowing her brow, Historia asked, "Have we met?"

 

The brunette's wild smirk sent a shiver down Historia's spine, and she seemed to be fully aware of it. "No." She said it so candidly... "I just like your face."

 

"Well, thank you, but--"

 

"Name's Ymir." There was something in that cigarette-rasp voice, something dark and sinful and inviting. "And you are...?"

 

For a moment, Historia hesitated. Where was the harm in admitting her identity? No one really knew of her or of her mission, save her father, and if that mission was successful, he would be devoured very soon. "Historia."

 

"Historia," the brunette repeated. That name tasted like a delicacy, lingering on her tongue, fresh and sweet. "Pretty name for a pretty girl, huh?"

 

"You're so original."

 

The sudden sass seemed to catch Ymir off guard for a moment before she leaned in, pressing her shoulder to the little blonde's and asking, "You spoken for, _Historia_?"

 

"I speak for myself."

 

"I'd like to see that." Innuendo. She should have expected as much. This Ymir was clearly the vulgar sort. Honestly, it was a little more attractive than it should have been.

 

"What a shame." And then Historia's eyes were downcast again, refocusing on the old map, desperately trying to ignore the feral, beautiful woman at her side. Such a thing was far easier said than done. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do."

 

"Things like...?"

 

"Things that are none of your concern."

 

Ymir was, of course, far too persistent to be put off with simple words. "You're looking for someone, huh? And all the crossed-off places are where you've already looked..." Her eyes wandered the map for a moment, before they darted back up to Historia's face, dark and inquisitive. "Who is it you're after?" she asked next.

 

Sighing, Historia admitted, "My father."

 

"And what'll you do when you find him?"

 

At that, Historia locked her eyes with Ymir's, brilliant rage-glowing blue meeting sun-warmed gold. "Kill him."

 

The answer was simple enough, yet still Ymir felt the breath leave her lungs at it.

 

"His name is Rod Reiss," Historia continued, scratching the café off the map. "He worked with Kenny Ackerman, and he was the financier to Grisha Jaeger for his anti-Titan project. He let me get infected by Dr. Jaeger's son, and he let my mother and my sister die because of it. I can't just let him get away with that. I have to find him." There was a sort of desperation in her voice. "I have to make him pay for what he did to us."

 

Rod Reiss… The name was familiar. "Kinda plain guy, yeah?" Ymir asked. "Wears a silver locket with a cross on it?"

 

The blonde nodded, saying, "It was my mother's."

 

"I know where he is."

 

And Historia's eyes were up again, blue-sky meeting the sun, shining bright. The glow flickered, as it only did in fledglings. "Tell me where he is." It was a command.

 

"Why should I?"

 

"Tell me." Those too-blue eyes were sharp enough to cut glass, and Historia turned, her hands lifting to twist into the fabric of Ymir's jacket, pushing the other woman back far enough that her chair went toppling over.

 

The impact was hard, and Ymir grimaced as she propped up on her elbows, grit digging through the leather of her jacket, the front falling open. She hadn't bothered with putting a shirt on beneath it. There was blood in her mouth. She'd bitten her tongue, it seemed.

 

Historia was soon upon her, eyes brilliant, straddling the her hips, hands just shy of her throat, threatening, and Ymir gave a sharp shiver, murmuring, "You're kinda hot, y'know that?"

 

"And you're a fool." The words were cold, but the glow had gone warm, a flame flickering behind her eyes. "Tell me where my father is."

 

"Or what?" The challenge in Ymir's voice came with a sexy little smirk, and Historia slammed her against the ground again. It didn't shake the look away.

 

"If you don't tell me, I'll devour you alive."

 

"Don't think I'd mind, if it was you doing it."

 

"Then you really are a fool."

 

"Mm-hmm." Ymir shifted as best she could, sliding one leg from beneath the other girl, looping it around a narrow hip, and Historia shivered against her, though her eyes were still aglow with the Titan-rage. And Ymir shrugged, adding, "He's with Kenny."

 

"And you didn't just tell me because...?" There was genuine curiosity in Historia's voice when she pulled back, though she refused to stand, refused to pull away even when Ymir rolled her hips up against her, insistent and wanting, one dark hand coming to grip her hip as Ymir propped up on the opposite elbow, eyes dark.

 

"Maybe I like being manhandled a bit," was the honest answer, given with another sensuous roll of her hips, bringing a breathy gasp past the other's prettily flushed lips. "And, y'know, to be fair, shouldn't you answer my question, given I answered yours?"

 

"What question was that?"

 

This time, Ymir didn't wait for the answer.

 

A soft, startled gasp caught in Historia's throat when Ymir leaned up to kiss her, all teeth and tongue, hot and filthy and irresistible, one hand at the back of her neck, tangling into golden hair. The soft sigh she gave when they parted sent a shiver racing down Ymir's spine, and she rolled their hips together again.

 

This time, Historia responded in kind, pressing back with newfound vigor, though her hands found her own skin instead of seeking out the other's. It was a tease, Ymir was sure of it. This little white-clad angel was not what she appeared to be. The way she moved spoke of experience, the fluid thrusts of her narrow hips rhythmic and nothing short of perfect. Beneath her, Ymir was panting, dark hands coming to rest over Historia's, squeezing her cute, perky tits through the fabric of her sundress.

 

"Move the dress a l'il, huh?"

 

And Historia obeyed, letting the hem of her dress ride up, the rough denim of Ymir's jeans exhilarating as it rubbed against the soft, damp fabric of her panties. Gripping the other's hand, she dragged Ymir's fingers along her thigh, down to where she wanted and demanding, "Touch me."

 

This time, it was Ymir obeying, golden fingers working against damp cloth, giving a shiver when Historia's hands came to the button of her jeans, pale fingers sliding beneath dark fabric and working against hot, slick flesh.

 

"You're good at this…" The blonde's voice was soft, and she allowed Ymir to pull her down into another rough, bite-studded kiss. The taste of blood in the brunette's mouth was enough to spell the end, and she pulled the other woman down with her, twin moans catching between their joined lips.

 

Ymir was the first to speak, asking, "First time?"

 

"With a woman, yes." There was no shame in the little blonde's voice, and she reluctantly pulled her hand from the tight grip of Ymir's jeans, licking slick wetness away from her fingers. "Consider yourself lucky."

 

"Oh, I do." Ymir's dark hands were persistent, sliding against the blonde's chest again, thumbing against sensitive skin, nails dragging over perky nipples, and Historia shifted against her, eyes wide and dark.

 

"Do you want to be luckier?"

 

"Mm." It was little more than a purr, and Historia pulled back, pale, spidery fingers trailing across the freckled, golden skin that shone where Ymir's leather jacket had fallen open.

 

"Join me." The blonde's voice was a whisper, soft and tempting, and she leaned forward to breathe the words against the other's ear, chest to chest, and Ymir's hands came to wind around her waist, holding her close. "I'm going to kill Kenny Ackerman, and I'm going to rule this city. A king needs a queen, yes? _Be my queen_."

 

"You're gonna kill Kenny Ackerman and become King of the Wall?" There was something distinctly like disbelief in Ymir's voice.

 

"Yes."

 

"And you want me to rule with you?"

 

Again, "Yes."

 

"Kiss me again. Maybe I'll agree."

 

Rolling her eyes, Historia obliged, brushing her lips against the other's gentle and teasing, and all too soon, she pulled away, saying, "You smell good." Her brow furrowed then, and she pulled back further, looking worried when she realized aloud, "You're human."

 

"Last time I checked."

 

Historia shook her head at that. "You kissed a Titan. You'll shift soon, and--"

 

"Totally worth it." Ymir's smirk was a wild thing, and she folded her arms behind her head, the picture of nonchalance.

 

"You would willingly give up your humanity for a kiss?"

 

"You're a good kisser," was all Ymir had to say for herself. " _Totally worth it_."

 

"You're crazy." And then there was yet another kiss, Historia's tongue dragging over the rough cut marring Ymir's lip, reveling in the coppery taste lingering there. "I like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This doesn't really count as a prequel, does it, given we don't really learn anything we didn't know before? Still, it was fun to write. I need more Ymir in my life.


	35. Bonus Chapter: A Close Shave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This little bonus chapter is dedicated to Aileine over on Tumblr, as inspiration hit due to this (http://aileine.tumblr.com/post/81201932374/intimate-hygiene-keep-staring-and-ill-shave) post!
> 
> It's meant to be between chapters two and three, before the boys leave for the Depot. Enjoy! :D

"You are _not_ going out looking like that."

 

For an instant, Erwin paused, one arm in his coat, the other still bare. "Like _what_?"

 

Levi's eyes rolled at that, and he muttered, " _Your face_."

 

Thick brows knitting together, Erwin lifted one hand to his jaw, rubbing calloused fingertips along his own skin. Ah, of course: He was still stubbly. "Why does it matter?" He almost sounded offended.

 

"You look ridiculous." Levi's eyes darted up to the little window at the top of the door. The sun still wasn't out entirely. "And it's still early." His eyes found Erwin again, judging. The slight flush on his pale cheeks was incredibly telling, though Erwin knew better than to bring it up. "The mountain man look doesn't suit you, trust me." It was clearly a lie.

 

Erwin hardly looked a mountain man. It was just a little stubble, but Levi was stubborn. It was obvious that he liked the way it looked, though knowing him, he'd determined that he liked it _too much_ , and that was a very dangerous thing. More than likely, the burn of Shift was still racing through his blood. Knowing that, Erwin surrendered, asking, "Where's the razor?"

 

"Bathroom, I think." Sighing, Levi pulled himself up from the sofa, stretching his arms high above his head, limber and catlike. "Gimme a minute. Go sit in the kitchen and I'll meet you there, yeah?"

 

Vesting himself of his coat, Erwin sighed. After watching Levi disappear into the corridor, he took the hall's opposite arm into the still-dim kitchen.

 

There was an island in the center of the space, a long counter of imitation granite, and Erwin pulled out one of the tall wooden stools that were tucked under its edge. Stepping to the side, he slid the window above the sink open, letting in the sounds of early-autumnal breezes and the serene singing of the brook at the foot of the hill the cabin was seated on. It was still early, still not quite bright, but it was lovely, just the same. Erwin dragged his stool to sit just before the window, staring out at the meadow and the ring of trees surrounding it, their leaves dancing in the wind, picking up hints of the rising sun.

 

"Keep you waiting too long?" Levi's voice was soft, hanging in the air, and he approached Erwin from behind, winding his arms around the blonde's waist, resting his head upon the other's shoulder, gazing out into the meadow. "Shaping up to be a pretty day, huh?"

 

"Beautiful."

 

Erwin was looking at him when he said it, and Levi cleared his throat. "Thought you weren't comfortable saying things like that..."

 

Erwin's smile was dazzling, and he said, "I will never understand you. You're the single most vulgar person I've ever met, but you're incredibly easy to fluster. It's adorable."

 

The flush darkened at that. "Can't say I've been called _that_ before."

 

"It's true."

 

"Yeah, whatever." Again, Levi cleared his throat. "You ready?"

 

"I'd rather do it myself." It was only half true.

 

"No chance." The amusement in Levi's voice was glaringly obvious. "Last time you did it yourself, you looked like you'd taken a weed whacker to your face."

 

That, on the other hand, was entirely true.

 

Knowing he was victorious, Levi slid between Erwin and the window, lifting himself up to take a seat on the edge of the counter. At his side was a little bowl of shaving cream and a folded straight razor. Leaning forward, he reached out to grasp at the nape of Erwin's neck, pulling him closer. With him within arm's reach, Levi slid his fingers into the bowl of cream, lifting them again to smear white over Erwin's jaw, his chin, his lips, his cheeks. After what nearly felt like an expensive facial massage, he pulled back, wiping his hands clean on a towel.

 

"Tip your head back," he ordered when the task had been completed.

 

Obedient, still half-asleep, Erwin followed the order, his head cradled by Levi's left hand as he right went to work with the straight razor, slow and careful.

 

"You're insane, y'know that?" There was no lack of affection in Levi's voice, and he wiped the dirtied blade against the towel he'd laid over his thigh.

 

"Why do you say that?" Erwin didn't really need to know the answer; There were a million ways in which he was insane. He'd made his peace with it ages ago.

 

Starting another stroke of the blade, Levi replied, his voice low and soft, "You'd trust me to shave your face. I'm still a li'l high, be honest, and you're trusting mewith a razor blade. I could slice your Adam's apple in half right now, if I wanted to."

 

"You wouldn't want to."

 

"How do you know?" Levi sounded almost arrogant.

 

"Because I know _you_ ," was all the answer Erwin gave, and Levi did nothing to contest it.

 

The sun was just beginning to peek over the hills outside, blazing bright just outside the sink window, and Erwin allowed his eyes to slip shut, basking in the warmth of it, in the warmth of Levi's hands on his skin. It was nice.

 

It was Levi's voice that pierced the warmth, asking, "You gonna fall asleep on me, E?"

 

"Mm." It was more a purr than an answer. "It's a possibility."

 

"Just a few more minutes, and we can go take a nap together, yeah? We can leave later."

 

"You don't need to sleep."

 

"Just because I don't _need_ to," Levi said, not bothering to look up from his work, "doesn't mean I _can't_. I like a li'l catnap as much as anyone else."

 

For a long moment, Erwin was silent, listening to Levi humming some long-lost tune. Then, opening his eyes to meet his Titan's silvery gaze, he asked, "Do you dream?"

 

"Sorta." There was sorrow in Levi's voice, and the fingers of his free hand tangled into golden hair. "It's more daydreaming than real dreaming. I see things, but I can still hear what's going on around me. It's like..." He sighed, trailing off. "You remember television, don'cha? It's sorta like that."

 

"Hmm."

 

"E?" Levi paused, watching the other's face for a moment before he poked at his freshly-shaven cheek. Though Erwin weakly attempted to bat him away, it was to no avail, and Levi rolled his eyes at the motion. "C'mon, old man, just one more minute!"

 

The laughter in his voice was contagious, and Erwin smiled, despite the fact that his eyes steadfastly refused to open. Levi soon smothered that smile, though, wiping away the excess shaving cream and dropping the towel into the sink.

 

"Can you make it into the bedroom," the little Titan asked, threading both hands into golden hair and tipping Erwin's head back, forcing barely-open blue eyes to meet his own, "or do you need me to carry you?"

 

"I think I can manage."

 

"Good boy."

 

Once he'd stood, Erwin's hands came to Levi's hips, helping him down from the counter, though he hardly needed it. Levi appreciated the gesture nonetheless. It was oddly romantic, and he went along with it, allowing his handler to lead him back into the living room, where he promptly plopped onto the couch, pulling Levi down with him.

 

"You really are half-asleep, aren'cha?" Levi didn't seem to mind it in the slightest, curling close.

 

"Mm-hmm." They settled quickly, and Erwin's voice, warm and soft, floated into the air, saying, "There's one thing I like about Titan, at least."

 

His brows knitting together in confusion, Levi pulled back to meet Erwin's eyes, asking, "What's that?"

 

"You're so warm." There was something dreamy in Erwin's voice. He was just on the edge of sleep, and it showed. "It's like cuddling with a space heater."

 

Though Levi smiled, he said nothing, giving no response but a soft shudder.

 

"Levi?"

 

He glanced up again. "Yeah?"

 

"You're shivering."

 

A shrug. "You're cold."

 

"This..." Suddenly, Erwin was wide awake, the hand that wasn't resting at Levi's hip coming to stroke his hair. "This is painful for you, isn't it?"

 

"Not _painful_ , really." Levi gnawed at his lower lip for a moment, thinking. "It's just... _Uncomfortable_. You're like ice."

 

"You can leave, if you like." Erwin, naturally, was not pleased with the idea.

 

Another bite to his lip, and Levi shook his head. "Don't wanna." Curling his arms tighter about Erwin's waist, he cuddled closer, hiding his face in the crook of his handler's neck. His trembling didn't stop. "Wanna stay with you. Maybe I can warm you up a bit."

 

Erwin stiffened beneath him, in more ways than one. "Levi..."

 

"It's not possible, y'know." Always so blunt. "I can't warm you up the way I wanna."

 

"Anything is possible." It sounded forced.

 

"Oh, so it's possible that we'll be cured from willpower alone?" There was a sneer on Levi's face, and the sound of it bled into his voice, sharp and cold. "You're saying that could actually happen?"

 

"It's unlikely, I'll admit, but it isn't _impossible_. Just improbable."

 

Levi groaned at that, eyes rolling before he buried his face against Erwin's chest. "Ever the optimist, huh?"

 

"We're close, you know." Erwin's fingers slid into ebony hair, gently lifting Levi's head enough that their eyes met. "We'll go to the Depot, grab a few rounds of Shift, and find another job. We only need a few more high-paying jobs, and we can buy the cure."

 

"If it even _exists_."

 

"Of course it exists." He was mostly sure it existed, at least. "It's been around for years."

 

"Have you ever heard of anyone actually being cured, though?"

 

No, he hadn't. Not even in rumor had Erwin heard of a Titan being cured. They just vanished into thin air. The cure could very likely be a trap, but what choice did they have? A life with Levi slowly dissolving away was worse than death. "Petra told us--"

 

" _You don't trust Petra_."

 

"But _you_ do."

 

Another eye roll.

 

"We're going to get you cured, Levi." Erwin said it like a vow, soft and solemn. "We're going to get you cured, and then we'll--"

 

"And then we'll live happily ever after?" That sneer was still present, tinted with anger and resentment.

 

"If that's what you want."

 

"It's _not possible_ , Erwin. Monsters don't live happily ever after."

 

Erwin gave a soft sigh at that, knowing better than to contradict Levi when it came to him referring to himself as a monster. It was the truth. Instead, he asked, "We can dream, can't we?"

 

A soft sigh, and Levi rested his head on his folded arms, staring down into his handler's eyes, platinum on blue. " _Titans don't dream_."

**Author's Note:**

> I have many things to say about this fic. I'm incredibly excited to post it, first off. I've been working on this AU for what seems like ages, and I think I'm the first to apply the dystopian trope to Eruri. 
> 
> Also, the virus. Titan is a rage-type virus, in case that wasn't clear enough. Think 28 Days Later. Shift is a drug used to counteract the effects of Titan, but it causes a serious rush of lust. The Wrath universe is still shrouded in mystery, but things shall be revealed in time, I promise. Being my first non-modern AU, this fic is probably going to updated less often than Make Me, but I imagine it'll update with every other MM update
> 
> Next chapter: Levi comes down. 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by SandCastleVirtues on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


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